Donna Lou Lynde, age 85, of Washington, Iowa, died Sunday, March 09, 2014, at her residence following a lengthy illness.

Celebration of life services will be held 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 12, 2014, at the Jones & Eden Funeral Home with Pastor Jason Collier officiating. Visitation will begin 12:00 p.m. Tuesday at the Jones & Eden Funeral Home where the family will receive friends from 6:00 until 8:00 Tuesday evening. Interment will take place at the Elm Grove Cemetery in Washington, Iowa. Memorials have been established for the Ainsworth Community Church or Hospice of Washington County. Online condolences may be sent for Donna's family through the web at www.jonesfh.com .

Donna was born December 14, 1928, in Harris, Iowa, the daughter of William L. and Grace (Morfitt) McNeil. She graduated from Windom High School in Windom, Minnesota. She later graduated from the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago in 1950 and attended LPN Training in 1969 in Estherville, Iowa. Donna was united in marriage to Robert Lynde on June 20, 1951 in Windom, Minnesota.

Upon moving to Washington in 1973, Donna opened New Hope Home, a group home for girls, and managed the group home for a number of years. Donna was a homemaker and worked as a LPN at the County Home and the M.L. McCreedy Home until her retirement in 1990. She was a member of the Ainsworth Community Church where she sang in the church choir. Donna enjoyed knitting, sewing, cooking and taking care of her family. She loved music and was self taught on the organ and piano.

She is survived by her husband, Robert Lynde of Washington, Iowa; daughter, Carol Laughlin and husband Leo of Pella, Iowa; son, Mickey Lynde and wife Kathryn of Panora, Iowa; daughter, Teresa Jo McMurtie and husband John Theodore of Douglasville, Georgia; eight grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and one sister, Shirley Blackstead of Shelton, Washington.

Donna was preceded in death by her parents; step-father, Ira Bergstrom; one grandson, Micheal Robert Lynde; one brother, Wendell McNeil; and one sister, Hazel Koehn.