Ann Mcdonnell

Anna Marie (Fisher) McDonnell was born on a farm in St. Anthony, Iowa on June 6,1934 to Lucille (Nowlan) and Lester Fisher. She was the third of seven children, the youngest of whom, Nancy Kaye, died as an infant. They moved to Marshalltown after losing the family farm when she was four, and other than several winters spent in San Diego, she lived her whole life in Marshalltown until she passed away peacefully at home on February 7, 2023 surrounded by her children.

Ann attended St. Mary’s Catholic school, graduating in 1952. Though she always wished she’d been able to attend college, she began her career shortly after, starting work at Wolfe Eye Clinic.

Ann married Roderick B. McDonnell in 1957, and raised four children Kim, Tom, Shawn and Pam. In 1965, she started at Fisher Controls as a receiving clerk, steadily advancing over a trailblazing thirty-year career. In 1975 she was promoted to delivery assurance coordinator in purchasing. The Fisher folk marveled that a “housewife” with four kids could take on such a demanding job, but she excelled and continued to be promoted, retiring as a senior buyer in 1995.

She was a skilled artist, and became a “professional” when one of her paintings was sold from an exhibit at the Fisher Community Center when a couple visiting from Des Moines asked to buy it! She loved to be active and was an avid golfer from her early 20s and took up skiing in middle age. At 57, Ann rode RABRAI for the first time, having ridden 1,000 miles in three months to train, and rode the trip several more times.

Following her retirement, she served with the Red Cross providing support to victims of tornados, hurricanes and, most notably, Katrina and 9/11. Locally, she caucused with Democrats, and volunteered at the hospital and with SHIIP helping “old people” (her sense of humor) find the right Medicare plans.

She loved dogs. She was always eager for adventure and loved to travel. Highlights were trips throughout the country and to Mexico and Costa Rica.

She is preceded in death by her brother Joe Fisher and sisters Lorene Williams, Dorothy Swanson, Betty Rhiner and Rita Johnson. She is survived by her children Kim, Tom, Shawn and Pam; grandchildren Ryan Leavy, Anna Leavy (Joe Rundlett) and Molly (Eric) Christensen; and great-grandchildren Meara and Miles Christensen.

Friends and family are invited to attend a visitation for Ann on Friday, February 10 from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home in Marshalltown. Services will take place on Saturday, February 11 at 1:30 P.M. at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home with Pastor Dan Vellinga officiating. Burial will take place following services at St. Joseph's Cemetery in State Center. Memorial contributions may be directed to the American Heart Association.

- Lovingly written by the family