Donna June Kessler

Donna June Kessler, the daughter of Louis Parkins and Lois Mercy (Hammans) Eginoire, was born February 2, 1929, at Lorimor, Iowa, and died November23, 2018, at the Friendship Home in Audubon, Iowa at the age of 89 years, 9 months, and 21 days.
Donna accepted Christ and was baptized in 1946 in the Grand River near Lorimor, Iowa and became a member of the First Baptist Church in Lorimor. Donna went to the Monnette School, a one room rural school in Union County, Iowa from Kindergarten through eighth grade and then attended the Lorimor High School. During her Junior Year she met Leo Kessler, the Love of Her Life. She graduated with the High School Class of 1947. She studied at the Creston Junior College, in Creston, Iowa receiving her Teaching Degree in 1949. Donna then taught school in Ogden, Iowa; and Peru, Iowa.
On September 3, 1950, she was united in marriage to Leo R. Kessler at the Methodist Church in Lorimor, Iowa. They moved to St. Louis, Missouri where Donna was employed as a receptionist at a hospital while Leo attended Mortuary School. Following graduation they moved to Winterset, Iowa for a short time then moved to Indianola, Iowa. While living in Indianola, Donna was a substitute teacher at the local Elementary School. Unable to have their own children, on July 29, 1957 they adopted Nancy and Mark. They moved to Mount Ayr, Iowa for a year then returned to Indianola. On June 29, 1964, they moved to Audubon, Iowa where they purchased McFadden Funeral Home. When son Mark joined the business they changed the name to the Kessler Funeral Home and later purchased the funeral home in Exira, Iowa. During this time Donna was a home maker helping to raise the children until they went off to college. She then assisted Leo as the Office Manager at the Funeral Home. Leo died July 4, 1991. Donna continued to live in the Funeral Home and assisted Mark in the business operation until she retired.
Donna was an active member of the First Presbyterian Church in Audubon. She served as an Elder, taught Church School, and was a member of the Presbyterian Women. She belonged to the P.E.O. Sisterhood, Order of the Eastern Star, Rebekah Lodge, T.T.T Sisterhood and The Society of Mayflower Descendants. She was a research assistant for the University of Toronto studying the migration of the monarch butterfly. In 1982, she and her husband, Leo were presented the Community Service Award by the Audubon Chamber of Commerce. Donna and Leo loved to travel. While the children were still at home every summer they would travel to various locations visiting almost every state from the west coast to the east coast. Later Donna and Leo took numerous trips overseas to Europe and other locations, her favorite being Italy and the art work of Michelangelo. She loved having coffee with all her neighbors and friends. Donna loved holidays and Christmas was one of her favorites. She collected several hundred nativities from around the world and displayed them every year. In 1972 a new family room with a vaulted ceiling had been added to the funeral home. An 18 foot Christmas tree was cut down and set up in the family room. Leo, Nancy, and Mark placed the lights on the tree while Donna prepared all sorts of goodies. All their friends and the kids friends were invited to help decorate the tree. While the tree was up many visitors and school classes came to see the tree and each one was given a candy cane that was hidden on the tree. This tradition lasted for over 25 years until Donna moved from the funeral home to her own home. But above all her grandchildren and great grandson were paramount in her life.
Preceding her in death was her husband Leo; two stillborn infants; her parents; her brother Gary Eginoire; her mother-in-law Freeda Van Ginkel; her fathers-in-law Rev. W. Reed Kessler and John Van Ginkel; her brothers-in-law Glen and wife Marie Stanley and Harold Needham; and her uncle Harold and wife Edith Hammans.
Survivors include her children Nancy A. Kessler of Audubon, Iowa, Mark R. and wife Angela Cabal Kessler, of Audubon, Iowa, and her Colombian son Gustavo Mutis and wife Carlina of Bogota, Columbia; her grandchildren Meaghan Kessler Marro and husband John Marro of Miami, Florida, Molly Kessler of Naples, Florida, Katie and husband Dan Thomas of Cape Coral, Florida, Joseph (Joey) Kessler of Miami, Florida, and Hillary Kessler of Miami, Florida; her great-grandson Hunter Chaseon Marro of Miami, Florida; Kathy Kessler of Naples, Florida; her sister-in-law Marilyn Needham of Lincoln, Nebraska; her brother-in-law Galen and wife Margery Kessler of Pleasant Hill, Iowa; nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.
Funeral services will be conducted by Pastor Kelley Pedersen on Wednesday, November 28, 2018, at 10:30 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church in Audubon. Interment will be in the Maple Grove Cemetery in Audubon. The honorary casket bearers will be Meaghan Kessler Marro, Hunter Marro, John Marro, Angela Cabal Kessler and Kathryn M. Kessler. The casket bearers will be Molly Kessler, Katie Thomas, Joseph Kessler, Hillary Kessler, Dan Thomas, Steven Eginoire, and Greg Hansen. The family will meet with friends Tuesday evening, November 27, 2018, at 5:00 p.m. at the Kessler Funeral Home in Audubon, Iowa. Memorials are suggested to the First Presbyterian Church in Audubon and The Friendship Home in Audubon.