Donna Lou Ward (Friend), just a couple of days shy of her 84th birthday, left her earthly home for her heavenly one after a long battle with dementia. She went to be with her Lord and Savior on December 1, 2022 in Muskogee, OK at the age of 83.
Donna grew up in Missouri and California, but the family finally landed in Guthrie, OK where the Friends lived a simple life. They grew their own food and built their own home. The Friend clan was very close. She went to school at Guthrie where she met her partner in life, Bob. Donna was married to Bob by a justice of the peace March 14, 1958 and their journey began. Bob & Donna had 4 children, 11 Grandchildren, and 8 Great-Grandchildren. Bob and Donna loved their big family and tried be a help to any of the children that needed it. Often taking in friends of their children and grandchildren who needed a safe place to stay. They tirelessly worked for their Lord Jesus serving in too many places to count. Later in life, if you were talking to either of them about anything the Grandkids and Great Grandkids would always be the main topic of conversation. They LOVED them.
After Bob, Donna’s partner in life, passed in 2017, her health began to fail. She became dependent on her 4 children to care for her. All of her kids performing various roles at various times to help make the last 6 years of her earthly life as comfortable and safe as possible.
Her Mother, Ruth L Friend and Father, John L Friend of Guthrie preceded Donna in death. Her brothers Robert (Bob), Richard (Dick), Wesley and her sisters Thelma, Helen, Rachel, Ruth, and Jeanne also passed on before Donna. Her husband Bob and her daughter Pam went on to Glory before her as well. Donna’s brother John is the surviving member of the family to whom she was born.
The family she loved so much, carries on Donna’s legacy: her son Jerry Ward and his wife Mandy, son Jon Ward and his wife Stella, daughter Cara Steelman (Ward), grandchildren Sean & Rhonda Ward, Danny & Christy Shade, Austin Nickels, Garrett Nickels, Elaine & Logan Howard, Chris & Rebekah Ward, Elyse Ward, Jacob & Becky Ward, Park & Michaela Ward, Kyle Gooch, & Blake Steelman, 8 great grandchildren and a host of friends.