EARLVILLE - Donna Lea (Porter) Stockley, 90, of Earlville died Jan. 3, 2022.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 9 at Earlville United Methodist Church, 313 Stilson St., Earlville with Pastor Sandy Smith officiating. Burial will follow at Precinct Cemetery, rural Earlville. Visitation will be from noon to 1 p.m. preceding the funeral. Arrangements were entrusted to Hanley-Turner-Eighner Funeral Home, Earlville.

Donna was born Sept. 25, 1931 in Indianola, Iowa to Joe Porter and Cleo Wheaton Porter. She married Kenneth L. Stockley on Aug. 10, 1952 at the Methodist Church in Knoxville, Iowa. He preceded her in death.

Survivors include her children, Douglas L. Stockley (Julie Anderson) of Earlville and Debra Chatman of Yorkville; two grandchildren, Christi Chatman and Ryan (Jamie) Chatman; two great-grandchildren, Sidney and Ollie Chatman; Julie’s children, Killian and Madeleine Anderson; and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband; two sisters, Joella Snook and Opal Oaks; one brother, Larry Porter; and one son-in-law, Sidney Chatman.

Donna was baptized by emersion at 12 years old at First Christian Church in Knoxville, Iowa. She lived in Dallas, Iowa and attended Dallas Consolidated School from 1st to 5th grade. As part of the family phone business, her father and grandfather operated a telephone switchboard in their home and Donna assisted with the switchboard while growing up. From 6th to 12th grade, she attended the Knoxville Public School in Knoxville, Iowa. While in high school, she took penmanship, shorthand, and typing classes; played the French horn in marching and concert band; and loved to swim and roller skate. Eventually, the Porter family opened their own ‘mom and pop’ grocery store in part of their home in Knoxville. Donna played a role in helping run the store with her mother and older sisters. She was active in the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls - created for Masonic daughters beginning at age 11 through 18. Once 18, Donna joined the Order of the Eastern Star. In 1949, she graduated from the Felt and Terrant Comptometer School in Des Moines, Iowa and began working for Northwestern Bell Telephone Company in Disbursements in her first job after high school. While living in Des Moines, she met a college boy from Ames, Iowa at a local dance.

After she and Kenneth were married, they moved to San Antonio, Texas where Kenneth was stationed in Fort Sam Huston and Donna began working at the Southern Bell Telephone Company. After the service, she worked for the Standard Oil Company in Peoria while Kenneth worked for the Extension Service in his first job out of the service. In 1954, they moved to the Frank Wright Farm in Earlville to farm and raise a family and remained on this farm for 63 years. While raising a family, Donna was a part of many community events and clubs including the PTA, Girl Scouts and Cub Scouts, Mother Daughter Banquets, church bazaars, 4-H Club meetings, and entertaining with the Card Club. In 1954, Donna joined the Earlville United Methodist Church and the Dorcas Circle of the Women’s Society. Eventually, she took on the responsibilities of membership secretary for the church, a position she held for many years. As a city girl, she had to learn the ropes of being a farmer’s wife. She learned the art of baking pies, preparing vegetables, cooking for a crew of men, and feeding a hungry group of farmers at noon. She loved to cook Christmas rolls and gave them away to everyone she knew at Christmas time. She also loved to garden, planning and tending to garden chores every summer. Canning vegetables and making pickles and strawberry jelly were some of her favorites. Some of Donnas most treasured farm friends were the farm cats and their kittens. Their ability to catch the mice she hated made the cats her favorite. On May 20, 1955, Donna gave birth to the couple’s first child, Douglas L. Stockley, and on Sept. 13, 1957, they had their second child, Debra J. Stockley. Donna loved being a homemaker and raising her children. In 1970, she was a Census Enumerator for the Earlville area and in 1971, she worked as a production clerk at Marathon Electric Manufacturing Company in Earlville. For many years after her children were grown, she worked at dress shops. Using her creativity, she loved to put together beautiful outfits for people at the Tree Trunk House and then the Heinrich Shop. Donna and Kenneth found new adventures as the kids grew up and started lives of their own. Donna enjoyed golf and playing in a woman’s league. She also collected Beanie Babies and Precious Moments. Both Kenneth and Donna took dance lessons and enjoyed getting together with their friends at the Harding Community Center for dances. As their children grew and had families of their own, the couple became active, doting grandparents and then even great-grandparents. They delighted in cheering on their grandchildren. Donna was Kenneth’s number one supporter when it came to politics, and she would often accompany him to evening meetings, parades, and political events. In large part, Donna lived her life through Kenneth. Even now, Donna chose to live alongside him, never wanting to be too far from him.

Memorials may be directed to Earlville United Methodist Church. For more information or to sign the online guest book, please go to www.eighnerfuneralhomes.com.