Donna M. Freese

Donna M. Freese, age 86, passed away July 25, 2017. She was born December 20, 1930 in Wapakoneta, Ohio the daughter of Frank and Edna (Elsass) Koch. Donna was preceded in death by her parents, son Richard, sister Marjean (Koch) Niemeyer of Wapakoneta and brother Franklin of Milwaukee, WI. She is survived by her loving husband of 65 years Robert, son Robert Allan, daughter-in-law Elaine (Ford) Freese, grandson Robert Richard all of Ocean Pines, MD, step grandson Michael and great grandson Grayson of Philadelphia, PA and step grandson Shaun Ford, wife Allison and great granddaughters Makenzie and Avery of Smyra DE and numerous nieces and nephews.

Donna graduated from Blume High School in Wapakoneta in 1948 and Miami Valley Hospital School of Nursing Class of 1951. She later attended the University of Dayton where she received a BS Degree in Nursing and a BS Degree in Education as well as a Master's Degree in Counseling. She held various nursing positions at Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Greene Memorial Hospital in Xenia and Grandview Hospital in Dayton as well as having taught English at Beavercreek High School from 1967 – 1975. Donna met her husband Bob while he was attending the NCR Service School in Dayton and they were married in January of 1952 and they resided in Galesburg, Illinois where Bob was Service Manager of the NCR office there. Bob was transferred back to NCR's Service Headquarters in Dayton in 1955. He transferred to NCR's International Service Division in 1959 where he held various management positions which involved considerable international travel. Donna was able to accompany him on several of these travels. In 1975 Bob was appointed Field Engineering Coordinator for NCR's Far East Region in Japan and also served as a member of the Board of Directors of NCR Japan. The three years they spent in Japan was the most memorial time of their careers as Donna was able to travel and visit most of the countries of the Far East. Donna also was an active member of the Dayton Chapter of The Friendship Force which promoted travel to many foreign countries. Donna also enjoyed card playing of all kinds and played weekly at the Laurie Center in Dayton, the Lathrem Senior Center in Kettering and the Beavercreek Senior Center as well as the VFW in Beavercreek. Donna was a member of Faith Lutheran Church in Belmont where she served on the Altar Guild for many years.

A visitation will be held from 12:30pm – 1:30pm on Friday, July 28, 2017 at Newcomer Funeral Home, 3380 Dayton Xenia Road in Beavercreek, where services will begin at 1:30pm. Burial will follow at Valley View Memorial Gardens.