In Memory
Donna Jean Sailors, 82, went to her heavenly home surrounded by family on Sunday, March 12, 2023, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Grand Island, Nebraska after a lengthy illness. Donna was born October 5, 1940 in McCook, Nebraska to Lee and Clara (Klein) Peters. She grew up in McCook and graduated from McCook High School in 1959. On June 21, 1959, she was united in marriage to Donald Sailors at the First Assembly of God Church in McCook. Their union was blessed with three children, Donny, Dennis and Deb. During high school, Donna worked for her parents at Peters Dairy Crème. After high school, until they started their family, she worked for years at Northwestern Bell as a telephone operator. Donna also loved giving piano, organ, accordion, and clarinet lessons. She and Don managed the McCook Townhouse Retirement Center and owned and operated the Imperial Townhouse. Donna spent the last 30 years, until her retirement, working as the Advertising Design Supervisor at the McCook Daily Gazette. A few years after Don passed away, Donna moved to Grand Island. She enjoyed volunteering at Saint Francis Medical Center and as a Foster Grandparent. Later she moved to Riverside Lodge Retirement Community where she enjoyed keeping busy and was lovingly known as Grandma Donna by the wonderful staff that cared for her. Donna loved watching her grandchildren grow into wonderful young adults and then fell in love all over again with her beautiful great-grandchildren. Donna was very close to her siblings and enjoyed their sister’s weekends every few months with her devoted sisters. Later those weekends grew and included her kids, grandkids, great-grandkids, and special nieces. Donna loved to laugh and more than anything, she loved her family. Those left to cherish her memory include two sons, Donny Sailors and wife, Pam of McCook and Dennis Sailors of Sioux City, Iowa; daughter, Deb Friend and husband, Jim of Grand Island, Nebraska; four grandchildren: Derek (Natasha) Sailors and Matthew (Nicole) Sailors all of McCook, Mandy Friend of Lincoln, and Josh (Paege) Friend of Grand Island; five great-grandchildren: Dean and Devin Sailors, Carson Sailors, and Julian Friend and Atticus Friend; two sisters, Phyllis and husband Terry Dowling of North Platte and Kathy and Larry Larson of Wichita, Kansas, brother-in-law, Sherrill Sailors of South Sioux City and sister in-law, Eileen Barto of Sioux City, Iowa; and many special nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. Donna was preceded in death by her husband of almost 49 years, Donald Sailors; her parents, Lee and Clara Peters, her in-laws, the Rev. C.A. and Lillie Sailors, sisters-in-law, Belva (Jim) Earnest, Gloria Bruggeman-Schultz (Ed Bruggemen and Willis Schultz); niece, Kathy McDonald; nephew, Jimmy Earnest; and brother-in-law, Doyle Sailors. Funeral services will be at 1:00 pm on Friday, March 17, 2023 at Hermann-Jones Funeral Chapel in McCook with Pastor Barry Johnson officiating. Visitation will be Friday morning from 10:00AM - 12:00PM, prior to the service. Memorials can be made to the family for memorial determination to be made at a later date. Online condolences may be left at herrmannfh.com. Arrangements have been entrusted to Herrmann-Jones Funeral Chapel of McCook.
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