Donna Kay Haney Walls

Donna Kay Haney Walls passed away peacefully in her home in Cary, North Carolina, on Thursday, March 6, 2025, with her daughter L at her side, and daughters Joni and Beth there by video call. She is dearly loved, and will be deeply missed.

Donna was born on December 18, 1941, to Allen and Katharine Haney in their family home on Riverbank Avenue in Wyandotte, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her older brother, Jerry Haney, and by her husband of 59 years, Glen Harold Walls.

She is survived by her “little brother,” Larry Haney (Sharon) of Southgate, Michigan; three daughters, Joni Horn (Matt) of Cary, North Carolina, L Walls of Minsk, Belarus, and Beth Walls Mathis (Stephen) of Ruckersville, Virginia; her four grandchildren in whom she delighted, Sarah (Noah Parks), Bryan (Kelcey), Carly and Aimee, all of Virginia; and many nieces and nephews.

Donna grew up close to her extended family, with many aunts, uncles and cousins part of her regular home life. Their house was a busy place to live.

Donna would remember the lot as being “not too wide, but very deep.” It included a well-tended garden and many fruit trees, including the one apple tree they were allowed to climb. She would also remember helping her father shovel coal into the basement furnace to make sure it didn’t go out at night, replacing their party line phone with a state-of-the-art rotary dial that could make calls “coast to coast,” and bringing in their first television when she was in the fourth grade.

Ever an overachiever, Donna taught herself to read before attending school, reading to her mother while she did household tasks. She walked to school until entering high school. From an early age, she loved to cook and especially to bake, a lifelong passion. She was the valedictorian of her class at Theodore Roosevelt High School in Wyandotte, graduating with honors in 1959.

Donna graduated from the University of Michigan (also with honors) in 1963 with a BA in Elementary Education. During college she began to date Glen Walls, a friend and traveling companion of her brother, Jerry. Glen and Jerry would carpool together from Chicago to their parents’ homes in Michigan.

Donna and Glen were married on August 2, 1963, at the 20th and Oak Church of Christ in Wyandotte. The two of them loved to travel, making it to all 50 states and more than 25 countries.

Donna worked as a schoolteacher in Rocky River, a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. In 1964, they built their first house in nearby North Olmsted. It was the first home for their three daughters, Joni, Lisa, and Beth. In the 70s, Glen went to work for IBM, leading to a move to the Raleigh area. In 1977, they moved into their house in Cary, where they would live for the rest of their lives.

Donna thought of herself as a stay-at-home mom, but she was active outside the house in many ways—teaching, tutoring, and doing office work for many years in Research Triangle Park. She also had a successful career with Tupperware and helped Glen in his second career as a Realtor and property manager. She will always be known as “The Tupperware Lady” to many.

She was a lifelong learner, incredibly curious and always wanting to discover new things. She loved to host events for family and friends, and she was very creative, especially in “consumable arts” – such as cake decorating and holiday cookies. She also enjoyed wordplay, knitting, quilting, and sewing, making many clothes for her daughters and grandchildren. She may be planning wonderful parties now for our time together in Heaven.

Donna cared for her parents and her father-in-law in their last years. She spent several years caring for Glen as dementia slowly took its toll on his life.

Church was always an important part of Donna’s family life. Her grandfather was an elder, and her mother taught Sunday School and organized their Vacation Bible School. Donna was a devoted member of the Church of Christ, contributing in significant ways to West Side Church of Christ in Cleveland, Cary Church of Christ, and, since the early 90s, Brooks Avenue Church of Christ. She volunteered with Campfire Girls, served at Fort Hill Bible Camp, and taught Sunday School. The work she and Glen did on Vacation Bible School over the years is legendary!

Additionally, she volunteered for many years in the ESL ministry at Brooks Avenue and was instrumental in supporting her daughter L in her missionary work.

The writer of Proverbs says “A wife of noble character, who can find? She is worth far more than rubies…Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the days to come.” Donna was such a person; she made the world a brighter and more loving place.

The family offers their deep thanks to WakeMed Cary–especially Dr. Syed Tasleem and the staff of 2 East, Duke Oncology–especially Dr. Laura Havrilesky and Mr. John Kimball, Transitions LifeCare, and Brooks Avenue Church of Christ. Special thanks also go to Sandi Bowsman, Mae McPherson, and Patsy Lasley, faithful friends for over forty years; and many thanks to Vicky Coerper for her friendship with Donna and actively supporting her through chemotherapy last year. Thank you to Stephen Walls Mathis for compassionately guiding us through the funeral process now and with Dad in 2022.

The family will receive friends from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, March 22, 2025, at Brown Wynne Funeral Home in Cary.

Her funeral service will be held at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, March 23, 2025 at Brooks Avenue Church of Christ in Raleigh, with visitation one hour prior to the service. A cookie reception will immediately follow the funeral at the church.

Interment will take place at 10 a.m. Monday, March 24, 2025 beside her husband at Montlawn Cemetery in Raleigh.

Flowers, especially purple and lavender, are welcome. If you prefer to make a donation, Donna’s daughter L asks you to consider giving to her mission work via Brooks Avenue Church of Christ (https://app.easytithe.com/App/Giving/Broo700696/BROOKSAVENUEMAIN - select “Belarus Missions” in the drop-down menu). This ministry was important to Donna.