Dona D. Anthony

Our beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Dona D. Anthony, entered her eternal heavenly home on Sunday, April 22, 2007. Cremation has taken place, and a memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 28th, at 4:00 p.m., at the First Baptist Church, at 31st and Avenue I in Scottsbluff. Dona was born April 7, 1930, in Newcastle, Nebraska, the fourth of nine children, to Willard and Ada Fern (Napier) Hunt. Dona spent her childhood years in Hot Springs and Batesland, South Dakota. Later her family moved to Colorado Spring, Colorado where she graduated from high school. January 1, 1949, Dona married Irvin A. Anthony in Oelrichs, South Dakota. They resided in Chadron, Nebraska until 1965, when they moved to Scottsbluff and thereafter made their home in the valley. Dona’s greatest pride were her four children. Just ask her about her kids and you would soon know special talents and gifts they possessed. Always our encourager, teacher and supporter, we have special memories of mother captured always in our hearts. As a young mother of four, Dona played fast-pitch softball, won many bowling titles and awards and enjoyed weekends boating and waterskiing with her family. With the addition of grandchildren to her family, came Dona’s deepest joy. Always there for school and sporting activities, playing card games, along with many fishing and camping weekends, and baking special cookies, her famous cinnamon rolls and cherry pies. In recent years, the blessing of great-grandchildren added pleasure to her years, doing for them just as she did her grandchildren. Dona worked various sales positions. Her love and joy was wife, mom and homemaker. It was in 1983, that she joined Irvin in cross-country trucking, retiring in 1988 with over 1,000,000 miles on her logs. As her family, we would tell you the favorite miles logged were times spent with her family. She is and will always be dearly loved. Surviving Dona is her husband, Irvin of 58 years; children, Esther Benson of Wheat Ridge, Colorado, Diana (Larry) Yarnall of Scottsbluff, Eldon “Bubba” (Kathy) Anthony of Gering and Ivan (Pam) Anthony of Monument, Colorado; grandchildren, Shane (Cathy) Reynolds of Gering, Mary (David) Klemp of Gering, Jac Reynolds of Omaha, Tim (Tammie) Anthony of Norfolk, Paul Anthony of Ventura, California, Philip Anthony of Gering, Davin Anthony of Roseville, California and Keeli Anthony of Commerce City, Colorado; great-grandchildren, Cortney King, Logan and Austin Reynolds, James Klemp, Devin and Addison Anthony, Jocilyn Hessler and Gina Anthony; brothers, Vernon and Dale; and sisters, Joy and Ruthie. Preceding Dona in death were her parents; brothers, Leonard and Joe; and sisters, Lila and LaVonne. In lieu of flowers, Dona requested gifts be made to Prairie Haven Hospice or Gering Volunteer Fire Department.