Donna Russell Nafe
Donna Nafe left this world on February 28, 2007, surrounded by the
profound love, great affection, and deep respect of her family and friends.
Donna’s life defies easy summary. A vibrant, intelligent, compassionate
woman, she touched the lives of many people in her seventy-one years. She
loved and remembered her parents and grandparents fondly; loved her
husband faithfully for over fifty years; adored her children and
grandchildren: and loved and enjoyed the company of her many, many
friends.
Donna was born to Carl and Opal Russell in Bodcaw, Arkansas, on March
30, 1935. She often shared fond memories of her family in Arkansas, her
years as a student at Hope High School, and her experiences living in Dallas,
Germany, Bryan, and San Angelo before settling in Waco, Texas.
She married Gerald Nafe on July 16, 1955. Two children, Todd and Derek,
eventually led to two daughters-in-law, Rachel and Rhonda, and then three
grandchildren, Evan, Haley, and Rebekah. Her fingerprints will be on all of
us for the rest of our lives.
A career business woman who dedicated the last working years of her life to
helping children in need, she still found time to be active in politics and in
the daily lives of her family and friends.
Donna died after nearly a decade of weakening health. Just as she was a
model for her children and grandchildren in life, she was a model for them in
death. She faced great difficulties with her joy in life and sense of humor
intact, and she showed us how to enter eternity with grace, love, and an
unsinkable spirit.
A memorial service was held 16th of June at 1:00 pm at Memory Gardens
Cemetery at Hope. It will involve a couple of prayers, a time for those who
wish to say a few words about Donna and then the spreading of her ashes
over her parents' graves.
Afterward, the family will invite those attending to join them at the Holiday
Inn Express for coffee and to visit.
Gerald wrote that a friend from Berlin, Germany, will be there and he hopes
classmates can make it too.
Memories of Donna R. Nafe from Jo Ann Browning
(Mrs. Don Browning)
Donna, Lynn and I all went to Bodcaw school. I
moved to Hope in eighth grade and they came later.
Our daddies were cousins and enjoyed each other's
company very much. Donna was very much like her
Mother always laughing and happy. They were just
enough older than me that I really looked up to them
and thought they were just great. I wanted to copy
their hair style and clothes like an adoring younger
cousin.
The school bus ride was our closest time together. I
always tried to sit close to them because they were so
much fun. I think Lynn could tell how they came to
be in the same class. I always liked that story. A lot
of people thought they were twins. I think they were
unusually close to each other.
Jo Ann
(Mrs. Don Browning)
Donna, Lynn and I all went to Bodcaw school. I
moved to Hope in eighth grade and they came later.
Our daddies were cousins and enjoyed each other's
company very much. Donna was very much like her
Mother always laughing and happy. They were just
enough older than me that I really looked up to them
and thought they were just great. I wanted to copy
their hair style and clothes like an adoring younger
cousin.
The school bus ride was our closest time together. I
always tried to sit close to them because they were so
much fun. I think Lynn could tell how they came to
be in the same class. I always liked that story. A lot
of people thought they were twins. I think they were
unusually close to each other.
Jo Ann
Memories of Donna Earl Russell Nafe
By Clyde Arnold LINK TO MEMORIES
Donna and Lynn Russell moved to Hope at the beginning of our junior year
at Hope High School and lived in a duplex apartment on North Hervey St.
with their parents, Carl & Opal Russell. At the end of the football season our
junior year, I became closer friends with Sonny Ellen and Jesse Duke who
were dating the Russell girls. (Or Sonny was dating Lynn for sure at the
time.)
Tommy Doyle and I had been elected by our team mates as co-captains for
the '52 football team year and Tom and I were to pick the co-homecoming
queens for our senior year at HHS.
I first remember really getting to know Donna and Lynn Russell and Patsy
Samuels because they were all new at HHS and were friends. Jesse Duke,
Sonny Ellen, and I were always friends and fellow football players so we all
started associating more together. The next thing I knew Patsy and I were
dating as were Sonny and Lynn. Donna dated several of the guys and was
like a sister to all of us. She kept us all laughing with her jokes and good
humor all the time. (All three girls were in the Homecoming Royalty in the
HHS '53 annual.)
I spent a lot of my time our senior year at their parents' home as did Jesse,
Patsy, and Sonny with the Russell girls. Not twins..Lynn was double
promoted at Bodcaw by Louise Fuller, Barky's mom who told me this. As a
result, I got to know Carl and Opal Russell well. (We became lifetime
friends/) They treated Jesse and me like family and, of course, Sonny
became their son-in-law when he married Lynn on January 28, 1958.
At the end of high school in 1953, Jesse joined the Marines with John Keck,
Ellis Rothwell, and Richard Chism. Sonny Ellen and I attended Southern
State College for a year or so. Donna and Lynn went to business schools, I
believe, and later went to work in Dallas, TX. I learned from Sonny that he
transferred to Texas A&M from SSC to be closer to Lynn. I left SSC to
serve a couple of years for Uncle Sam in Korea.
It was about April 1957 that I visited Lynn and her mom, Opal, at their
Dallas apartment and spent the night on my way to Waco. It was there that I
remember visiting with Donna Earl Nafe, who had married Gerald July 16,
1955. I instantly liked her husband, Gerald! He was perfect for Donna who
still had that beautiful smile and great personality. Gerald told me a joke
thatI've neve forgotten---just to see me blush. I think Donna put him up to it
and he definitely accomplished his purpose.<g>
We stayed in contact with each other through Sonny and Lynn Ellen and we
all attended an AR vs Texas A&M football game during the early sixties.
A&M won and a lot of kissing was going on. It was sometime around 1968
that Gerald, Donna and boys (Todd and Derek) moved from San Angelo to
Waco, TX where Benja, our girls LeeAnn and Amy Lynn and I lived. Benja
and Donna became much closer friends and Benja was helpful in getting
Donna a job at Success Motivation Institute. Benja had worked there since
our marriage and was the 4th employee at SMI. Donna, Gerald and our
families continued to fellowship, kids playing games in the parks, visiting in
each others' homes, having Easter egg hunts etc. until my transfer by USPS
to Chickasha, OK in 1969.
Later in 1973, after my transfer to Shrevesport, LA, I remember Donna
calling me by phone to describe how much fun they were having and who all
was attending the 1973 reunion. I had the flu at the time but remember it as
if it were yesterday. (See '73 reunion and photos taken by Gerald and
Donna Nafe and furnished by them to our web site committee.
http://hopeclassof1953.com/reunion_73.html )
At our next reunion in 1983 http://hopeclassof1953.com/reunion_83 I
had been transferred to NYC and my middle daughter, Amy Lynn (named
after Lynn Ellen and Richard Lynn Hunt) was enrolled at Henderson State
and was my date that week end. (See pics published on Donna's memorial
page of the Russell reunion that same weekend.) Donna, Gerald, Benja and
I stayed close friends all these many years. After Benja's death, I made
several visits to Donna and Gerald's home in Waco when I visited my
sister, Imogene, who lived near them. Donna still loved to have fun, read
and write emails a lot, and operate her personal computer. Her loving
husband, Gerald, was a great caregiver! He was very supportive of Donna
to the very end of her days on God's earth. Donna is now in the hands of
her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Donna was always upbeat, laughing and fun to be around and knew how to
live. Our '53 class reunions have not been the same since her passing and I
know everyone in the '53 class misses her greatly--especially me.
Donna Earl Russell Nafe was a very special lady friend of mine.
Clyde Arnold
May 9, 2009