Maelea Haze Donahue, 16, passed away on Saturday, August 7th, 2021, of unknown causes (still TBD) at her home in Spearfish, South Dakota.

Maelea was born on February 22nd, 2005, to Molly Klapperich Donahue and Mick Donahue in Spearfish, SD. She grew up between Spearfish SD, Fort Collins CO, and Lead SD.  She attended school in both Spearfish and Lead. She worked at Jacobs Brewhouse and Grocer in Deadwood and loved her job and everyone she worked with.

Maelea was born an old soul, she was always wise and intelligent beyond her years. She was very independent and was her own person, she made no apology for it. She was self-aware and strong, as well as strong willed. So many words can be used to describe Maelea: caring, accepting, kind, loving, forgiving, non-judgmental, helpful, protective, giving, she had the best sense of humor and has always been so funny. She was very artistically talented, and she had a way with words. She loved her friends and family and she loved them with everything that she had. She stood up for what she believed in and what she thought was right.

Maelea is survived by her mother Molly Suzanne Klapperich Donahue (Santana Lopez); father Mick Donahue (Melanie Dick); brothers Nico Lopez, Evan Donahue, and Jack Donahue; and a new sister on the way this next month; grandparents Bill and Carol Klapperich, Mary Jo Rezac, Michael (Sandy) Donahue: Great grandparents Art and Mary Rezac: Uncle Ross (Harumi) Klapperich; Aunt Maggie (Luke) Sigman: cousins Elias and Eleanor Klapperich, Kody and Konor Sigman; many more extended family and numerous close friends.

A celebration of Maelea's life will be held at The Joy Center 1351 St. Joe St. in Spearfish, SD on Tuesday August 17th, 2021, at 2pm.

Arrangements are under the care of the Fidler-Isburg Funeral Chapels and Isburg Crematory of Spearfish. Online condolences may be written at www.fidler-isburgfuneralchapels.com