Donna Lou (Crummer) Bales, 92, passed away on Wednesday, January 16, 2019. Visitation will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, January 20, 2019 at McLaren’s Chapel in West Des Moines with a funeral service at 4 p.m. A private family burial will be at Gowrie Township Cemetery in Gowrie, IA at a later date.
Donna was born on December 9, 1926 in Pocahontas, IA to Ren and Celinda Crummer. Her parents later moved to Gowrie, IA where she grew up and attended school. After graduating from high school, she completed her education at Mercy Hospital School of Nursing, becoming a registered nurse. She practiced at both Mercy and Lutheran hospitals in Fort Dodge, IA.
She married Blake R. Bales on March 20, 1949 at the Little Brown Church in Vale, and they later moved to Cedar Rapids where she was employed by the Cedar Rapids School District as a school nurse, working in many of the schools in the city. Donna and Blake had two children, Brian Blake and Janet Sue. After their retirement, Donna and Blake moved to Treasure Island, FL and enjoyed time with friends and the leisurely pace of life that retirement offered.
Donna was preceded in death by her husband, Blake and daughter, Janet. She is survived by her son, Brian (Sheila) of West Des Moines; five grandchildren, Shaun, Heather, Joseph, Jamie and Justin; and six great grandchildren.
The family wishes to express their most sincere gratitude to the staff at Bickford Cottage in West Des Moines for their loving care and concern for Donna during her 8 years at the cottage. They also wish to thank the medical staff at Methodist Hospitals, both in Des Moines and West Des Moines, and the nursing staff at EveryStep Hospice in Des Moines.
