Donna Jean Studley
July 22, 1932 – August 31, 2021
Donna Jean Rita Rakestraw Studley,89, passed from this life to the loving hands of her family on Tuesday, August 31, 2021 in Pocatello, Bannock County, Idaho.
Donna was born July 22, 1932, in Mineral, Bureau County, Illinois, the first of three children born to Robert and Genevieve Roush Rakestraw. Donna helped raise her two younger siblings and loved spending summers with her Grandmother Rakestraw where she helped feed “the threshers”. Since she was pretty and out-going, Donna was always surrounded by friends. She was a cheerleader all through high school and was the 1950 Farm Sports Festival Queen. She met her future husband, Bob, when she chased him around the playground in first grade. They were high school sweethearts and were married, November 25, 1951, in Mineral, Illinois. Bob was deployed to Korea in January, 1952, which started a long year apart for the newlyweds. When Bob returned from war they moved to Finland, Minnesota where Bob was assigned for the Airforce. Their only child, Karen Leigh, was born on March 28, 1954 in Two Harbors, Minnesota. Donna loved children and was a devoted mother to Karen and a doting grandmother to five grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.
Life took her little family from Mineral to Peoria, Illinois to Columbia Missouri where Bob started his career in Life Insurance Underwriting. Donna had many skills and always tried to help out the family wherever they ended up. She worked as a bank teller a couple of times and an apple peddler, when the family started an apple orchard on the beloved Studley Farm. Her favorite jobs, however, were working with children. She worked at Hickman High School in Columbia, Missouri as a secretary to the principal of North Hall. The students all learned you had to obey the rules when “Mean Donna Jean” was around. However, her favorite job was as the school secretary at Grant Elementary School in Columbia. She loved mothering all the students and keeping everything running smoothly. She retired in 1994 to go RVing with her husband all over the country with the Good Sams. She and Bob enjoyed adventures to Mexico, Alaska, Nova Scotia and Hawaii, just to name a few. They made many lasting friends in their RV group and even served for several years on the Good Sam Missouri State Committee.
Donna was very athletic and her life was full of activity. There was weekly roller skating in the early years of their marriage followed by bowling leagues and membership in a square dancing club. Living in Missouri, there was always access to plenty of water, so water skiing in the summer with family and friends was a treasured activity.
In their later years, Bob and Donna moved to Virginia, Idaho to be near their daughter and grandchildren. Family was everything to Donna. Donna had many talents and loved people. Her house was full of the embroidery and crafts she created, and the clothing items that she sewed. Her family enjoyed her creative cooking and fancy parties.
Donna is survived by her daughter, Karen Brady (John) and five grandchildren, Michelle (Andy) Soderberg, Christopher (Alisa) Brady, Robert (Elisse) Brady, Randy (Erica) Brady, Michael (Mandy) Brady and 17 great-grandchildren, which she adored. She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Robert Eugene Rakestraw, her sister, Patricia Patchett., and her husband Robert Edwin Studley.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, Sept. 4, 2021 in the Virginia Ward LDS Church in Virginia, Idaho. There will be a viewing from 10:30-11:45 am, followed by the funeral service at 12:00 p.m. Interment will be in the Arimo, Idaho Cemetery.