Donna Bown

Donna Jean Bown, age 84, passed away at the University Of Iowa Hospital surrounded by her family. Born June 24, 1931 in Des Moines, Iowa, she was the daughter of Ernest Katzer and Louise George Katzer. She attended Conrad High School where she was part of the girls basketball team, the Girls Glee Club and the Girls Athletic Association. On June 12, 1948 she was married to William Lewis Bown in Montezuma, Iowa. Grandma Bown or Aunt Donna (how many knew her), spent her life as a homemaker as well as a caregiver to everyone she met. If you needed a meal or a place to stay, Grandma Bowns house was where you went. No matter how many people were there when you arrived, she would make room for another and you were always welcome. If everyone she helped out or touched in some way was listed here, it would take up the entire page. When Grandma Bown could slip away from caring for everyone, her favorite place to go was Meskwaki Casino! Even if she was feeling a little under the weather, if you stopped in and said you were headed to the casino, her eyes lit up and with her billfold in hand she would almost beat you to the car. Grandma Bown will be fondly remembered for her love of not only her family, but everyone she came in contact with. Left to cherish her memory are seven children ~ Patrick Bill Bown (Brenda McFarland) of Rhodes, Donald (Cheryl) Bown of Marshalltown, Janice Cullor of Clemons, Larry Bown of Marshalltown, Pam (Larry) Pritchett of Clemons, Terry Lippincott (Tom Blum) of Waverly, Lonnie Joe (Jeri) Bown of Marshalltown; twenty-three grandchildren, fifty-eight great-grandchildren and seventeen great-great-grandchildren, two brothers Marvin (Betty) Katzer of Nevada, Gary (Faye) Katzer of Whitehall, Arkansas, two sisters Lila (Bill) Davis of Townsend, Montana, Arlene Brown of Keota, Iowa and numerous nieces and nephews. In death she has rejoined her parents Ernest and Louise Katzer, her husband William Bown, a sister Marilyn Katzer, a daughter Karen Bown, a great-granddaughter Tosha Stevens and a great-grandson Zack Gorsuch. Funeral services will be Sunday, February 14, 2016 at 1:00 p.m. at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home and a visitation will be held Saturday, February 13, 2016 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home. Donna and her family are being cared for by the Mitchell Family Funeral Home, for questions please feel free to call (641) 844-1234 or visit www.mitchellfh.com.