Tonkawa I O O F Cemetery, Kay County, Oklahoma

Donna Carol Olmstead passed away on September 30, 2016 peacefully at her eldest son’s home in her sleep at the age of 80 with her family around her.

Donna was born the youngest of three daughters to Newell Wilson and Verda Wilson. She spent her early years in 3 Sands, Oklahoma. It was a bustling oil community at that time. While in school, they moved to Tonkawa where she continued her elementary and high school education. Donna Carol Wilson met and married Donald Ralph Olmstead who was in the military. She moved across the ocean to Italy with her first new born baby Sonny Donald Olmstead. Donna had 5 children in 7 years. Their names are Sonny Olmstead, Newell Olmstead, Alva Olmstead, Renee Olmstead West, and Michelle Olmstead Gilliam (deceased). Upon deployment to Vietnam, Donna and her children would all return home to Tonkawa. Donna and the children have had fond memories of various base houses; Alaska; Ft. Campbell, Kentucky; Ponca City, Oklahoma; Tonkawa, Oklahoma; Blackwell, Oklahoma; and Manhattan, KS. She always said that she planted flowers only to never see them grow as she traveled the life of a military wife.

After her divorce in 1985, Donna moved to Tonkawa where she enjoyed the company of her cousins and her sisters Dee and Doris. She liked to garden in her yard on North Main. It gave her great joy. Her other favorite hobby was painting. She tried never to miss the local painting TV programs on PBS. She loved her little Yorkshire Terrier to pieces. They were inseparable. Living in Tonkawa, she was located where she could easily enjoy her sons and many of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Her daughters who lived in Manhattan, KS. would often bring their children to visit, and she would also travel to Manhattan, KS. as often as possible. During the past four years of her life, Donna moved to Bartlesville, Oklahoma to live with her eldest son, Sonny Olmstead and his wife Donna where she remained for 2 ½ years before moving to Tallgrass Estates, a local retirement community, for a year. She enjoyed having her own place again, she enjoyed the company of others her own age, and she enjoyed the company of the girls with Shanadoah Home Health Services.

Donna is survived by sons Sonny Olmstead and wife Donna from Bartlesville, Oklahoma, Newell Olmstead and wife Becky from Blackwell, Oklahoma, Alva Olmstead and wife Shelly from Wichita, Kansas, and daughter Renee Olmstead West and husband Greg from Manhattan, Kansas. Donna’s grandchildren are Leona Dice, Liana Olmstead, David Olmstead, Donald Olmstead, Shane Olmstead, Newell Olmstead, Lindsay Lingle, Shawn Doster, Alva Olmstead, Ryan Olmstead, Isaac West, Lucas West, Meganjo Murphy as well as numerous great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.

Funeral arrangements are with Anderson Funeral Home in Tonkawa. Donna will be laid to rest Tuesday, October 4, 2016 at the Tonkawa Cemetery following the service at the Anderson Funeral Home Chapel at 2:00 pm.

The family and friends are invited to lunch October 4, 2016 at 11:00 am at 214 Main Street, Blackwell, Oklahoma.

She was preceded in death by her parents, sisters, her daughter Michelle Olmstead Gilliam, grandson Joshua Olmstead.

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