Donna Blair

Donna Rose Blair, 86, of Jefferson, died July 30.

Mass of the Resurrection was celebrated Aug. 5 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Jefferson, with Father John Gerald.

Lector was Sue Taylor. Altar servers were Mary Jane Fields and Jerry Fields.

Casket bearers were David Blair, Jay Blair, Jack Fredrickson, Brent Goughnour, Ron Fick and Larry Fatka.

Music was performed by Sheilah Pound, soloist, and Lois Last, accompanist. The recessional was “I Will Rise.”

Ushers were Jerry Fields and Tom Feldmann.

Interment was in the Paton Twp. Cemetery, Paton.

Following interment, all were invited to a meal at 209 Main in Paton.

Donna Rose Blair was born at Carroll Hospital on Sept. 13, 1932, to Fred Haeberlein and Elizabeth (Lizzie) Leonard Haeberlein. She was raised on a farm southwest of Scranton and graduated in 1950 from Scranton High School.

She went to Drake University and took elementary education classes to become a teacher. Donna graduated in August 1952 with a teaching certificate.

She started teaching fourth grade at Paton Consolidated School for the next 11 years. During this time, she met Don Blair and married him Dec. 26, 1959.

Donna quit teaching in 1963 to raise their three sons: Mark, John and James, and to help Don with farming.

After the boys were out of school, Donna went back to, now, Paton-Churdan School and helped part-time for the next 17 years. 

After Don died in September 2000, Donna moved in 2003 to Jefferson and worked for Congregate Meals and Meals on Wheels as site manager for 13 years and retired in May 2017. Donna was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church. 

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Don; and two brothers: Leonard Cletus Haeberlein and Darrell (Red) Haeberlein.

She is survived by three sons: Mark and wife Heidi, of Paton; John, of Paton; and James and wife Suzanne, of Ellston; four grandchildren: Ashley Allen and husband Jeff; Michelle Blair; Jennifer Blair; and Jay Blair; and three great-grandchildren: Abby, Mack and Doss Allen. 

Memorials may be made to St. Joseph Church in Jefferson or Congregate Meals (Elderserve) in Jefferson.

Services were arranged by Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home.