Donna Lee Badger (Bailey)

Donna was born in 1932 in Indianapolis at St. Francis Hospital. Her parents, George and Hazel Bailey, had a farm in the small community of Mt. Meridian in rural Putnam County where Donna grew up. Donna loved the country and reminisced frequently about growing up on the farm and going to school in Fillmore, Indiana.

Donna was graduated from Indiana State University in 1954 with a degree in elementary education. While attending college in Terre Haute, she had a blind date with David Badger, a student at nearby Rose Hulman Institute of Technology, and they were married in Indianapolis in June of 1954. The newlyweds spent their first few years of marriage in Norfolk, Virginia, where David served his country as an officer in the U.S. Navy and Donna taught elementary school. Donna and David eventually settled in David's home town of Indianapolis in 1956 where they raised three children.

Donna worked for over a decade for the Indianapolis Public Schools as a library and media services educator at Arsenal Tech High School and School No. 2 in downtown Indianapolis.

Donna was devoted to her family and close friends. She loved organizing gatherings of immediate and extended family. She was most proud of her five grandchildren, all of whom grew up in central Indiana. Donna had many life-long friends with whom she stayed in touch over many decades, including her sorority sisters at Gamma Phi Beta. Donna's kindness and thoughtfulness touched many lives.

Donna is survived by her husband of 64 years, David H. Badger; her children David M. Badger, Lee Ann Badger (Miller) and Steven M. Badger; her grandchildren, Kelsey Katherine Badger, William Case Miller, David Carter Miller, Claire Elizabeth Badger and Collin Emerson Badger.

A celebration of Donna's life will be scheduled at a later date.