CUBA CITY - Donna Jo (Simmons) Mullen, age 55, of Cuba City, passed away Wednesday, May 16, 2007, at home after a courageous battle with ALS/ Lou Gehrig's Disease. She was born June 13, 1951, at Mercy Hospital, Dubuque, Iowa, the daughter of Harold and Darlene (Kieslich) Simmons. She graduated from Cuba City High School in 1969 and went on to receive her nursing degree, magna cum laude, from Finley School of Nursing in 1972. She married Ronald Mullen at the United Methodist Church in Cuba City, Sept. 1, 1973. In 1984, she graduated from the University of Dubuque, where she received her bachelor of science in nursing, summa cum laude. She was also a University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate, where she obtained her master of science in nursing in 1990. Donna spent 32 years in the nursing profession, as a registered nurse, nursing instructor and Certified Nurse Practitioner. Among her many professional accomplishments, she taught for a number of years at Southwest Technical College and also practiced as a Certified Nurse Practitioner with Tri-State Dialysis, where she considered her patients and their families as extensions of her own. For as incredible a nurse as she was, she was an even better mom, wife, daughter and granddaughter. Her family was her life and she enjoyed nothing more than taking family vacations, coordinating cookouts, celebrating birthdays and planning holiday get-togethers. She is survived by her best friend and devoted husband of 33 years, Ron; her loving daughters, Jessica (John Pearson) Mullen of Crown Point, Ind., Sarah Mullen of Cuba City and Jaclyn Mullen of Prescott, Ariz.; her loving parents, Harold and Darlene Simmons of Cuba City; grandmother, LaVida Kieslich of Platteville; brother, Lyle Simmons of Menomonee Falls; mother-in-law, Beryle Mullen of Shullsburg; sister-in-law, Kay (Bob) Martin of Dubuque, Iowa; brother-in-law, David Mullen of Shullsburg; special cousin, Carol (Jim) Helbing of Hazel Green; and her loyal four-legged friends, Holly, Kiki, Mully and Alley. She was preceded in death by her grandmother, Hildred Simmons; grandfathers, Harvey Kieslich and James (Raymond) Simmons; father-in-law, Howard Mullen; and special aunt and uncle, Genevieve "Auntie Cute" and Lawrence "Uncle Sock" Riek. Services will be on Saturday, May 19, 2007, at 10:30 a.m. at the UNITED METHODIST CHURCH in Cuba City, with Pastor Debbie Pimm officiating. Friends may call from 3 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Friday, May 18, 2007, at HAUDENSHIELD FUNERAL HOME, Cuba City. The family would like to extend a very special thank you to Dr. Angela Kelley of Dubuque Internal Medicine and Kim Leamy of Grant County Hospice for their wonderful care and compassion towards Donna and her family.