Donna Jean Svanda was born on April 17th, 1942, in Pawnee City, Nebraska. Her parents were Joseph and Blanche Svanda. She is survived by partner Robert Stepanek, and sons Doug and Greg Blecha.
Donna attended grade and high school in Virginia, Nebraska, graduating in the class of 1959. When in music class, Donna tried out to play the trombone, but Miss Bambauer needed a drummer. Therefore, Donna worked on her drumming and, on her 16th birthday (April 17th, 1958), she got 1st place on her snare drum solo and went to All State Band in Grand Island that same year.
After high school, Donna attended business school at National Business Institute in Lincoln, Nebraska. In 1976, she started her job at the Pawnee County Assessor’s Office until she retired from the courthouse in 2012.
Bob Blecha and Donna were married on December 4th, 1960, and welcomed two sons into the household: Doug and Greg. In 1963, Bob Blecha, Table Rock Bob Blecha, Bob Stepanek, and Milan Tomek organized and started Bob Blecha and the Bouncing Czechs. Her first dance job was a wedding dance. She was always happy to be sitting at her drum set and waving her drumstick at the crowd.
The list of bands she has played for is:

• Bouncing Czechs
• Czechlanders
• Blue River Czechs
• Greg Blecha Trio
• Duane Stehlik Trio
• Bum Czechs
• Stastny Orchestra
• Tre Blecha Band
• Stepanek Brass Band