Martha Donnell

Martha Louise Donnell, 90, died on October 24, 2024 at Caring Hearts and Hands Hospice of Columbia, Missouri. Her husband was by her side when she went to meet the Lord.

Martha was born on July 19, 1934 near Amelia, Nebraska, the eldest daughter of Amos Josiah and Mary Lucile Fisher. At the age of five, her father sold his farm and moved the family to Sedro Woolley, Washington and then to Ferndale, Washington where he continued farming. In 1952, when she was a senior in high school they sold the 20 acre farm and drove with all of their belongings in a two and a half-ton military surplus truck to Greenville, Illinois so that Amos could farm close enough to a Christian college so his five children could commute to school. It was at Greenville College that she met Denny Donnell who then attended the "Fisher Farm School of Charm" popcorn evenings while they courted.

After graduation, she and her future sister-in-law, Bonnie Wiegand, taught elementary school in Affton, Missouri. She continued teaching after she married Denny Donnell, Jr. on June 14, 1958. They moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1960 where Denny completed his first year of surgical internship and daughter, Laura Marie, was born. When Denny was drafted in 1961, they moved to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri where he served in Preventive Medicine for two years and daughter Ann Louise was born.

Martha and Denny moved to Berkeley, California in 1964, where Martha had Elizabeth Sue and Denny obtained his Master’s Degree in Public Health from the University of California. They moved to Columbia Missouri in 1966 where Martha was a mother and home maker and was very involved in church and Bible Studies. Supporting the church and encouraging its members over the years was a large part of her life. The church that Martha and Denny helped start, and attended until her death, the Evangelical Free Church of Columbia (Compass), developed out of a Bible Study they attended in1969.

She was active in the Columbia Audubon Society, the Missouri Native Plant Society, and the Jane Austen Society. She loved reading, especially missionary biographies and books by Winston Churchill and John Wesley. She particularly enjoyed a two-volume biography of Hudson Taylor, founder of the China Inland Mission. She taught Sunday School and she and Denny enjoyed travels to Mexico, Hawaii, England, France, Norway, Israel, and Rwanda. In addition, she was an excellent seamstress and taught her three daughters to sew as well. For many years she enjoyed attending an annual Fisher family reunion.

She is survived by her husband, Denny, daughter Laura (Brian) Dossett, daughter Ann (Jim) Zahniser, and daughter Elizabeth (Rick) Koppelberger. She is also survived by grandchildren Andrew Dossett, Kiersten Dossett, Gabrielle (Jarrett) Paslay, Rachel (Josh) Zahniser-Cranston, Layla (Edgar) Guillen, Maria (Nathan) Rogers, Sarah Rose Koppelberger, Grant (Allison) Koppelberger, Haleigh Faith Koppelberger, and great granddaughters Freya Kay Zahniser-Cranston and Austen Eleanor Koppelberger. She is also survived by sister-in-law, Bonnie Fisher, brother Ernie Fisher (Linda), sister Francis (Richard) Ploessl, and sister Margaret Studebaker.

She was predeceased by her parents, brother David Fisher, and brother-in-law Robert Studebaker.

Martha had a wonderful life and was a devoted wife and mother and a friend to many neighbors as well as church and community members.

She is now rejoicing in the presence of God.

Funeral 3 p.m. Saturday, November 2, 2024, at the Donnell–Wiegand Funeral Home, Greenville, Illinois. Visitation from 2–3 p.m. Saturday at the Donnell–Wiegand Funeral Home. Interment will follow in Mt. Auburn Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please make memorials to Greenville University: https://www.greenville.edu/give/give-online.

Obit Provided By:
Donnell-Wiegand Funeral Home