Donna Sawyer - beloved wife, mother, daughter, sister, grandmother, aunt, and friend – passed away after a long fight with cancer at the age of 68.. She was dearly loved and her loss is heartbreaking to all who knew her.
Visitation will be at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 11311 Johnson Drive, Shawnee KS, 66203 on Monday, May 24th, 2021 from 6:00-8:00 PM. Funeral service will be at St. Joseph Catholic Church on Tuesday, May 25th, 2021 at 10:00 AM, with interment at Resurrection Cemetery in Lenexa.
Born March 25th, 1953 in Butler, MO, the fourth child of Bill and Wilma Hambelton, Donna grew up in St. Charles, MO, attending school there from first grade through fifth grade, when the family moved to Shawnee. There, she attended St. Joseph grade school and graduated from St. Joseph high school. Donna worked at Zarda Dairy, KingRadio, Tannen Floral, Gerber Products, and BRR Architects. She married Neal Sawyer in 1975 and they celebrated 46 years of marriage in April.
Donna was fun, and possessed a strong vitality and positive energy. A lover of books, music, and people, she always found a way to make new friends and make people feel included. She firmly believed in the value of community service and was always finding opportunities to make her world, and the world of other people around her better and brighter. Her infectious laughter, brilliant smile, and sometimes sardonic sense of humor brought laughter and happiness to all who were around her.
A dedicated member of her community, Donna was a force on the numerous boards on which she served. As a lover of music, she volunteered for many years on the Old Shawnee Days board, during which time she got to interact with countless music groups, both locally and nationally known. She served on the Shawnee Parks and Recreation board, Friends of Shawnee Town board, as well as the Shawnee Parks and Recreation Board, Shawnee Sister Cities Committee, the Shawnee Irish-American Club, and was the Chair of the Shawnee Sesquicentennial.
She loved to go on adventures with her family, from trips to Colorado and the Lake of the Ozarks with her husband and children, to cruises and trips to Europe with her husband, siblings, and friends. She was a good card-player, and loved playing poker and going to Vegas with her girlfriends. She had a special relationship with her siblings, and they spent a great deal of time laughing, and sometimes getting into trouble.
Donna was preceded in death by her parents, Bill and Wilma Hambelton. She is survived by her husband Neal and daughters Stephanie Clayton (Ben) and Emily Grunder (Chad), and stepdaughters Laura Hoppas (Wade) and Shannon Allen (Alex), sisters, Cassandra Williams (Rick) and Nancy White (Don), and brothers Paul Hambelton (Judi), John Hambelton (Lisa), and Tim Hambelton (Krystal). Donna is also loved and missed by numerous grandchildren, cousins, nieces, and nephews.
The family suggests memorial contributions be made to Foundation for Women’s Cancer– In Memory of Donna Sawyer, 230 W. Monroe, Suite 710, Chicago, Illinois 60606
Funeral Ceremony
Start Date: May 25, 2021, 10:00 am
End Date: May 25, 2021, 11:00 am
St. Joseph Catholic Church
11311 Johnson Dr.
Shawnee, KS 66203
Phone: 913-631-5983
Graveside Service
Start Date: May 25, 2021, 11:30 am
End Date: May 25, 2021, 12:00 pm
Resurrection Cemetery
8300 Quivira Rd.
Lenexa, KS 66215
Phone: 913-371-4040
Visitation
Start Date: May 24, 2021, 6:00 pm
End Date: May 24, 2021, 8:00 pm
St. Joseph Catholic Church
11311 Johnson Dr.
Shawnee, KS 66203
Phone: 913-631-5983
Final Resting Place
Resurrection Cemetery
8300 Quivira Rd.
Lenexa, KS 66215
Visitation will be at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 11311 Johnson Drive, Shawnee KS, 66203 on Monday, May 24th, 2021 from 6:00-8:00 PM. Funeral service will be at St. Joseph Catholic Church on Tuesday, May 25th, 2021 at 10:00 AM, with interment at Resurrection Cemetery in Lenexa.
Born March 25th, 1953 in Butler, MO, the fourth child of Bill and Wilma Hambelton, Donna grew up in St. Charles, MO, attending school there from first grade through fifth grade, when the family moved to Shawnee. There, she attended St. Joseph grade school and graduated from St. Joseph high school. Donna worked at Zarda Dairy, KingRadio, Tannen Floral, Gerber Products, and BRR Architects. She married Neal Sawyer in 1975 and they celebrated 46 years of marriage in April.
Donna was fun, and possessed a strong vitality and positive energy. A lover of books, music, and people, she always found a way to make new friends and make people feel included. She firmly believed in the value of community service and was always finding opportunities to make her world, and the world of other people around her better and brighter. Her infectious laughter, brilliant smile, and sometimes sardonic sense of humor brought laughter and happiness to all who were around her.
A dedicated member of her community, Donna was a force on the numerous boards on which she served. As a lover of music, she volunteered for many years on the Old Shawnee Days board, during which time she got to interact with countless music groups, both locally and nationally known. She served on the Shawnee Parks and Recreation board, Friends of Shawnee Town board, as well as the Shawnee Parks and Recreation Board, Shawnee Sister Cities Committee, the Shawnee Irish-American Club, and was the Chair of the Shawnee Sesquicentennial.
She loved to go on adventures with her family, from trips to Colorado and the Lake of the Ozarks with her husband and children, to cruises and trips to Europe with her husband, siblings, and friends. She was a good card-player, and loved playing poker and going to Vegas with her girlfriends. She had a special relationship with her siblings, and they spent a great deal of time laughing, and sometimes getting into trouble.
Donna was preceded in death by her parents, Bill and Wilma Hambelton. She is survived by her husband Neal and daughters Stephanie Clayton (Ben) and Emily Grunder (Chad), and stepdaughters Laura Hoppas (Wade) and Shannon Allen (Alex), sisters, Cassandra Williams (Rick) and Nancy White (Don), and brothers Paul Hambelton (Judi), John Hambelton (Lisa), and Tim Hambelton (Krystal). Donna is also loved and missed by numerous grandchildren, cousins, nieces, and nephews.
The family suggests memorial contributions be made to Foundation for Women’s Cancer– In Memory of Donna Sawyer, 230 W. Monroe, Suite 710, Chicago, Illinois 60606
Events
Funeral Ceremony
Start Date: May 25, 2021, 10:00 am
End Date: May 25, 2021, 11:00 am
St. Joseph Catholic Church
11311 Johnson Dr.
Shawnee, KS 66203
Phone: 913-631-5983
Graveside Service
Start Date: May 25, 2021, 11:30 am
End Date: May 25, 2021, 12:00 pm
Resurrection Cemetery
8300 Quivira Rd.
Lenexa, KS 66215
Phone: 913-371-4040
Visitation
Start Date: May 24, 2021, 6:00 pm
End Date: May 24, 2021, 8:00 pm
St. Joseph Catholic Church
11311 Johnson Dr.
Shawnee, KS 66203
Phone: 913-631-5983
Final Resting Place
Resurrection Cemetery
8300 Quivira Rd.
Lenexa, KS 66215
Guestbook
Visits: 3
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