Donna Lee Eason, 86, of Waukee, Iowa, passed away peacefully at her home on Wednesday, January 17, 2018, with her husband and family by her side. A private family memorial will be held at a later date.
Donna was born on a farm in Ringgold County, Iowa, on July 28, 1931, to Theodore and Bertha (Maggard) Hightshoe. As a child, her family relocated to a farm near Mount Ayr, Iowa, where she attended school and graduated in 1950. Donna then attended Northwest Missouri State College in Maryville, Missouri, where she earned her teaching certificate. She taught at a country school for one year. Donna then married the love of her life, Clair (Skip) Eason, on July 23, 1952, at the home of her parents on the farm in Mount Ayr where she grew up. After they were married, they lived in Indianola, Iowa, while Skip attended Simpson College. She supported Skip when he volunteered for the draft and entered the army, moving to an apartment outside Camp Chaffee, Arkansas, and to Fairbanks, Alaska, while he was stationed at the Ladd Air Force Base. While living in Fairbanks, the couple welcomed their first son. After Skips term in the service ended, the couple moved to Diagonal, Iowa, where Skip began his teaching career, and Donna made them a home. While living in Diagonal, they welcomed three more children, another son and two daughters. In 1964, the family moved to Waukee where Donna and Skip raised their children. This was still Donnas home at the time of her death.
Donna was a sports fan beginning as a young woman, cheering on her future husband. She never missed an activity her children were involved in and attended many of her grandchildrens activities as well. She was a loyal fan of the Iowa Hawkeyes and Chicago Cubs. She enjoyed crocheting and embroidery, but was admired for her cooking. She loved to cook for her family, and they in turn loved her cooking. She not only was the master of her kitchen, but was the head cook on many camping trips to Colorado and tailgates in Iowa City. Many have tried, but none have managed to cook like Granny.
Donna passed away after a long battle with Parkinsons Disease. Even on her bad days she was always worrying and thinking of her family. Donna was devoted to her husband, children, and grandchildren. She was quiet, but fiercely protective of those she loved. She taught us to be kind and to make our families a priority. Nothing brought her greater joy than to have her family close and to see them walking through her door. She will be missed by us, her family, and in our thoughts every day. She was the middle piece to our big family puzzle, and we will never be whole again. Because of the care of her loving husband, she died peacefully and just as she had hopedat home.
Those left to cherish her loving memory are her husband of 65 years, Skip Eason of Waukee; children, Terry (Gloria) Eason of Waukee, Deb (Doug) Smith of Waukee, and Jo Ann Eason of Adel, Iowa; grandchildren, Tyler (Stephanie) Eason, Trey (Danielle) Eason, Adam (Samantha) Smith, Lucas (Easton) Smith, Dylan Smith, Donna Jo Schlitter-Eason, Claire Schlitter-Eason, Hilary Eason, Paul (Jill) Eason, and Adriene Myers; 20 great-grandchildren; 1 great-great-grandchild; a sister, Theola Weeda of Mount Ayr; brothers, David (Shirley) Hightshoe of Mount Ayr and Ed (Gay) Hightshoe of Unionville, Missouri; sisters-in law, Nina Eason of Mount Ayr, and Myrtle Smith of Shirley, Arkansas; many nieces and nephews; and close friends.
Donna was preceded in death by her parents, Ted and Bertha Hightshoe; parents-in-law, Paul and Beth Eason; son, Ted Eason; two grandchildren, Lucas Eason and Cole Smith; two brothers; and two brothers-in-law.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions in Donnas name be directed to the Waukee United Methodist Church Building Fund or the Margaret Jordan Scholarship Fund at the Waukee Community Schools. Celebrate Life Iowa has been entrusted with the care of Donna and her family.