Funeral Services for Donna Denton, 82, of Brownwood, will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 19, 2016 at the Heartland Funeral Home with Pastors Bill Slaymaker and Ruben Packer officiating. Interment will follow in Greenleaf Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Donna Jo Denton passed away Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2016 at Oak Ridge Manor, in Brownwood. She was born in Hermeleigh on April 10, 1934 to Marvin and Martha Gilliland. She was the oldest of four children, having one sister, Lee Cave of Farmington, N.M. and two brothers, Mac Gilliland and Fred Gilliland, both of Midland.
She attended school in various communities and graduated high school in 1952 in Hobbs. She then married the love of her life, Howard Denton, on July 22, 1952. They had four daughters, Susie and husband Charlie Stafford, Sylvia and husband Jack Saling, Angela and her husband Allan Gunter, all residing in Brownwood, and one daughter, Sherry Williamson, who lives in Gatesville.
Donna had seven grandchildren, Chris Williamson, Robert Williamson, Kynzi Saling, Kolt Saling, Carly Haechten, Carson Stafford and Dylan Gunter. She also had six great-grandchildren, Brayden, Tanner, Gavin, Ariel, Cooper, Rexxi Jo, and Brexton, who is due to arrive in April.
Donna was first and foremost a mother, wife and homemaker while her children were in the home. When she and Howard retired and moved to this area, they owned and operated Denton Mobile Home Park at Lake Brownwood. She also worked as a clerk at Wilson Cleaners and Furniture Outlet. She was a hard worker and loved by everyone who knew her.
Donna had many interests over her lifetime. She was a very social person. She had many friends and made many memories. In New Mexico, she and her husband enjoyed playing golf at the country club. She and Howard also enjoyed getting together with friends and made many trips floating down the Rio Grande river, camping along the way. While living at Lake Brownwood, she was a member of a quilting club. There she enjoyed quilting and sharing special recipes at potluck dinners. She was an excellent cook and well known for her cobblers. Later in life, she enjoyed catching up with family and friends on Facebook.
She was currently a member of Victory Baptist Church, attending when her health would allow.
She was preceded in death by her husband Howard in 2007.
Online condolences may be left for the family at www.heartlandfuneralhome.net.
