Donna Belle Sandusky Lane Miller

Donna Belle Sandusky Lane Miller passed to a much better place on November 3, 2013 at Trinity Center At Luther Park in Des Moines, Iowa at the age of 92. Funeral services will be held 11 a.m., Wednesday, November 6, 2013 at the United Methodist Church in Earlham. Visitation with family present will be held prior to services from 9 to 11 a.m., Wednesday at the church and interment will be in the Earlham Cemetery. Cards for the family may be mailed to 514 E. Jefferson, Winterset, Iowa and memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association. Donna Belle was born on December 5, 1920 in Elk Creek, Nebraska to Charles and Winifred (Bell) Sandusky and grew up in Earlham Iowa. She had one younger brother Charles Jr. who, where they lived out by the quarry southeast of Earlham, delighted in chasing her around the yard with rattle snakes. Hopefully, there are no snakes where they are now. Donna Belle played violin, piano and bass horn while in school as well as well as being a member of several bands and orchestra’s. She graduated from Earlham High School in 1938 and then has been very proud to have graduated from the American Institute of Business in Des Moines. She worked at Meredith Publishing Company, Federal Housing and Urban Development, and finally at the Veterans’ Administration as a Veterans’ Benefits Counselor. She retired from VA in 1982. In addition to working, Donna Belle enjoyed playing organ and piano for various events for many churches, senior centers, nursing centers, vacation bible schools, and many weddings and funerals. At one time, she also played the organ during dinner at the Silver Swan Dinner Club on Friday and Saturday evenings which was located on Sixth Avenue in Des Moines. In 1939, Donna Belle and her aunt walked up town in Earlham to McLennan’s Hardware store. She saw a man she had never seen before who was with a man who worked for her neighbor back when she lived in a quarry house. The man she knew introduced her to his brother who was with him. She said he was the neatest fellow she had ever seen. The following night, that man called her to ask her out to a movie the following evening which she accepted. On their way home from the movie, he asked her to marry him, she accepted, and two weeks later to the day, they were married! Donna Belle was married to Bud Lane from Winterset, Iowa on October 28, 1939 and they had five children. Bud passed away July 6, 1959 at which time Donna Belle was left to raise four children yet at home. In 1981, Donna Belle was married to Wayne Miller of Stuart. Wayne passed away in 1990 and she continued to live in Stuart until 2003. Donna Belle was very active in community activities and especially enjoyed sharing her musical talents by accompanying many singers at school events throughout the years. She was a life member of the Eastern Star, was a pianist and a member for many years of the Rebekah Lodge, was an American Legion Auxiliary member, received the Governor’s Award and the Elderbridge Award for Volunteerism, and she started a Kitchen Band of older citizens who traveled all over central Iowa playing for different events. While her children were in school, she was active in PTA, was a Bluebird and Camp Fire Girls troop leader, a Boy Scout troop leader, and was active in the Band Boosters in Earlham. Donna Belle is survived by her son, Dean Lane (Connie) of Earlham; her daughters, LaVona (Jim) Hollander of Winterset, Donna (Larry) Filloon of Phoenix, and Stella Lane of Des Moines. She also is survived by nine grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; 12 great great-grandchildren; her brother-in-law Don (Luann) Lane of Upper Marlboro, MD; and many nieces, nephews, and friends. Donna Belle was predeceased by both her parents; her husbands, Bud Lane and Wayne Miller; her son, C. Tom Lane; her brother, Charles (Hilda) Sandusky; various nieces and nephews; and many friends.