Donna L. (Murphy) Walker, 95, passed away at Heart of the Ozarks in Ava on July 7, 2023. Donna was born on September 13, 1927, in Almartha, Missouri, to Lyle and Faye (Gardner) Murphy. She attended a one-room school at Souder for her elementary education. She was a graduate of the 1944 class from Gainesville High School. She furthered her education by attending college at SMS (MSU) and finishing at Drury to get a B. S. in Business Administration. She went back to Drury in the early 1970s to get Lifetime Certification in Elementary Education. She taught 6th grade at Ava Elementary for 4 ½ years.
Donna and her high school sweetheart, Russell Walker, were married on August 11, 1945, in Mtn. Home, Arkansas at the courthouse. To this union, one son, Gerald, was born.
Donna always worked wherever she and Russell lived. She taught in one room schools at Souder and Almartha in the early years of their marriage. During the summer, she took college courses but also worked as a waitress. In the mid 1950s, Russ, Donna, and Gerald moved to Wichita so Russ could work at Boeing. Donna took a job as a cashier-bookkeeper at The Yard in Wichita. They both missed living in the Ozarks so they purchased a farm near Almartha and moved back to live the country life style which was their heart’s desire. Donna got a job at Guffey Chevrolet as the bookkeeper while Russ took a teaching job at Gainesville High School. Donna went back to school to get her teaching certification because they had sold the farm and moved to Ava. In November 1973, Russell and Donna bought the Boone & Luna Abstract Company in Gainesville. Donna resigned her teaching position and began teaching herself how to run an abstract office. She taught this trade to Russell and Gerald. They later bought Ozark County Abstract Company and combined the two offices. This line of work was also taught to the granddaughters Heather and Faunlee. Donna sold the business in 2007 and retired at the young age of 80.
At that time, Donna always had a project going. Her first project was writing the book The Way it Was where she wrote and edited stories by others whom she loved. Later, she wrote the book Souder Memories about the place and people who were dear to her. She soon found that her friend Joan Nash liked to go on antiquing trips with her. Other day trips were to Branson to catch a show with her friend Phyllis Swofford. In the fall and winter time, she would have sewing projects because she was making Christmas gifts for her family. She and Russell had enjoyed traveling across the United States and Canada so this continued after Russell passed away in 2003. The first trip was to Alaska with her daughter-in-law Sandy. She and Russell had planned to go there one year, but he bought a new truck instead. At Christmas that year, Donna told her family that she was taking them to Hawaii in May for their Christmas. The only state that she had not visited was Washington. A few years later, her nephew Mike Walker and his wife Cheryl took her with them to Oregon so they drove up to Washington state. Donna could now say that she had been to all 50 states. Donna went on many other trips to various countries with her brother Max and his wife Wanda and good friends Corrine and Jerry Ellison. She and Corrine and sometimes other friends would take road trips to various places in the states. After each of these trips, she would sit at her computer for hours making a memory book with pictures and stories of the recent trip. The only continents that Donna did not visit were Africa and Antarctica.
Donna attended and was a member of the Gainesville Church of Christ. She also visited Souder Church of Christ occasionally because that was home. After moving to Ava, she enjoyed attending a Ladies’ Bible Class at First Southern Baptist Church.
After her daughter-in-law Sandy retired, they took on babysitting the new grandson Parker. She enjoyed reading, playing games, or whatever with him then later on with the great-grandson Lyle. Donna made plans to take Parker then Lyle to their first Branson show, The Amazing Pets Show. Donna was pleased to have a new little girl to make dresses for when Charlie was born. Although she was not able to do this, she still talked about it. Donna also enjoyed attending whatever ball game was in season for her great-grandsons and the great-great grandson Lyle just like she had done for her granddaughters and son earlier in her life. One could also find her watching a Cardinal game or an NBA basketball game on TV in the evening.
Donna was preceded in death by her parents, her son Gerald (1998), her husband Russ (2003), her niece Tracy Murphy (1987), and nephew-in-law Leslie Stillings (2020).
She is survived by two granddaughters, Heather Walker of Bentonville, Arkansas, and Faunlee (Scott) Smith of Ava; three great-grandsons, Alden (Courtney) Smith, Morgan (Emily) Smith, and Parker Smith, two great-great grandchildren, Lyle (Alden & Courtney) and Charlie (Morgan & Emily), her brother Max (Wanda) Murphy; her daughter-in-law Sandy Walker, all of Ava; her sister-in-laws Peggy Walker of Nashville and Beth Walker of Kansas City, Missouri; nieces and nephews, and many friends and family members.
Funeral services for Donna will be Saturday, July 15, 2023 at 2:00 P.M. in the Clinkingbeard Funeral Home in Gainesville, Missouri with burial following in the Lilly Ridge Cemetery. Visitation will be Saturday prior to the service at 1:00 P.M. in the funeral home in Gainesville. Donna will be Lying In State on Wednesday and Thursday, July 12th and 13th in the Clinkingbeard Funeral Home in Ava, MO. Officiating will be Pastor Dale Roberts. In lieu of flowers family requests donations to the Souder Cemetery or to Lilly Ridge Cemetery.
Funeral Service
Saturday, July 15, 2023
2:00 PM
434 Main Street
Gainesville, MO 65655
