Lasting Memories

Donna Reed
June 20, 1926-Jan. 15, 2024
Pleasanton, California
Submitted by Ann Fagan

Donna Bartley Reed, born June 20,1926 in Waterloo, Iowa passed peacefully at home on January 15th at the age of 97. She was the daughter of John and Ella Bartley. She graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Business Administration where she was a member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority. Her first job after college was selling children’s clothes at Neiman Marcus in Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas. She decided to return home to Waterloo where she met and married Dale Reed on April 16th, 1955. After many work transfers which included Peoria, IL, Washington DC, and Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, she, and Dale settled in San Leandro, California in 1963. Donna was more than just a housewife. She managed their group of apartment buildings. Donna was active in the community serving for over 25 years on the Library Historical Commission where she headed up fundraising campaigns, worked on the restoration of the Casa Peralta House and helped the library to obtain much needed grant money. She was a 75-year member of PEO. She was also a member of the Alta Mira Club and the Friends of the Library. In her free time Donna enjoyed reading, sewing, knitting, playing bridge and traveling. Donna always had a positive attitude about life and enjoyed a good laugh. She was always there to help a friend. Donna was proud of her family and always made them feel loved and cherished.

She is survived by her 3 children, Kathy (Jeffrey) Narum, Richard (Kellee) Reed, and Ann (Alan) Fagan. She was the proud grandmother of 5 grandchildren: Jennifer (Rob) Hardy, Elisabeth (Andrew) Olson, Jack Reed, Helen Fagan and Bradley Fagan and two great grandsons and her sister Ann Sackett. She was preceded in death by her husband Dale, and her parents John and Ella Bartley.