Donna McCleary

Donna (Weddle) McCleary,88, of Charles City, passed away peacefully in her sleep on April 28, 2023.

A funeral service will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 3, 2023, at Hauser Weishaar Funeral Home in Charles City. Inurnment will be held at a later date.

Visitation will be held from 1 p.m. until the start of the service on Wednesday.

Donna was the eighth of 12 children born to Cecil and Letha (Combs) Weddle on Oct. 13, 1934, in Dawson, Iowa. She attended high school in Dawson and was active in basketball and was class secretary. After graduation, she went to Western Union school in Indiana, but the love of her life pulled her back to Iowa. She and John McCleary were married in August 1953 at the Methodist church in Dawson. To this union, four children were born: Jeff, Deborah, Sheryl, and Robert.

In the early years they moved often with John’s job promotions, but she always made the best of any place they landed. Their final move was to the loved house on Clark Street in Charles City in 1970. She spent her years raising four kids very close in age. She also spent her time singing with Sweet Adelines choruses from the 60s through the 2000s. She loved the sound, the camaraderie, and the glam.

Donna spent a couple of years as a teacher’s aide in Tama County schools. She was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church, member of the UMW, and served on boards and committees as called. She loved her time in the church kitchen. She loved tending her yard and garden and no stick was left to lay in her yard for long. In November of 2022 she moved to Apple Valley and loved it from day one! Bingo and friends to visit with meals prepared and laundry done for you.

Left to celebrate her life are her children: Jeff (Deb Schilling) McCleary of Charles City, Deborah Foutch of Minneapolis, MN, Sheryl (Gary) Rausch of Charles City, and Dr. Robert (Martha “Marty”) McCleary of Dublin, Ireland; six grandchildren: Shaun Boyd of Parker, CO, Jay (Jennifer) McCleary, Paul (Ashley) McCleary, & Heather (Nigel Berry) McCleary all of Texas, Kelly (Daniel) Gaona of Madison, WI, and Max (Alana) Foutch of Minneapolis; many great-grandchildren; sisters: Carolyn (Jack) Meyers of Kellogg and Mary Lou Jackson of Laramie, WY; brother, Patrick Weddle of Oregon; sister-in-law, Virginia (Keith) Dills of California; brother-in-law, Robert (Peg) McCleary of Perry; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, John in 2012; brothers, Jack, Melvin, Paul, Billie, Elliott, and Robert; sisters: Doreen and Linda; and daughter-in-law, Pamela.

Hauser Weishaar Funeral Home, (641) 228-2323, 1205 South Main Street, Charles City, Iowa 50616 is in charge of local arrangements. Online condolences may be left on the Tribute Wall for the family at www.hauserfh.com.