Donna Sterrett Anderson

Donna Anderson, 96, passed away surrounded by family on February 24, 2024. Born on a farm in Ohio in 1927 to Fred and Marie Sterrett, she earned a BA in Education from Muskingum College, and later an MA from Michigan State University. She married WWII war veteran George Anderson in 1949 and bucked the culture of the 1950’s by working outside of the home in a profession she excelled at and loved, teaching. She taught for 24 years at East Lansing’s Marble Elementary School at a time of dynamic changes in educational theory and practice. After retirement, Donna worked part-time to supervise and mentor MSU student teachers.

Donna was revered by her husband and daughters for her equanimity and strength; she was an attentive listener, calm in a storm, and guided her students and her daughters to find their own answers. And she loved fun! As her 97th birthday approached this April and her health waned, she craved good news and would laugh at family jokes 50 years old. Donna embraced life to the end, modeling for her family, as always, living with grace. She lived and imparted the philosophy “things work out.”

Preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, Donna is survived and greatly missed by her family, which she considered her greatest legacy: daughters and sons-in-law, Jill and Thomas Schaberg and Valerie and Michael Raymond, grandchildren Anna (Brian), Maggie (Ryan), Nicholas (Jenna), and great-grandchildren, Grace, Louise, Ben, William, Andrew, Poppy, Betty, Marlowe, Noelle.

The family would like to express special thanks to the staff at Burcham Hills Retirement Center for their skilled and tender care in our mother’s last four years of life. We are ever grateful, particularly to Med Tech extraordinaire, Zelijka Puranovic.

A family burial service will be held in Ohio. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in her name to Edgewood United Church in East Lansing, Michigan, or to a charity of your choice.