HAMMONDS, Donna Jean (Welch)
passed away on December 10, 2020 at the age of 91. She was born September 9, 1929, in Minburn, Iowa.
In 1964, she relocated from Webster City, Iowa, with her three daughters to Tucson, AZ. Donna made a career at Hughes Aircraft and retired in 1991. After retirement, she spent her time enjoying the company of friends and family, especially her great-grandchildren. She loved collecting elephants, watching birds (especially hummingbirds), butterflies, and John Wayne movies. She happily cooked dinosaur nuggets and chicken noodle soup for her sweethearts (great-grandchildren). She enjoyed shopping at Kmart to buy boots and shoes. The Tucson Botanical Garden was one of her favorite places to visit. Donna also found joy in gardening, crafting, buying lots of silk flowers, painting, and making appliqued sweatshirts for friends and family. Watching her grandkids and great-grandkids swim brought her much pleasure as family was important to her.
Her quirky sense of humor will be missed. She was a powerful independent woman who always sat at the head of the table and was fiercely protective of her family. She constantly went above all expectations, whether it be in her career or hosting a family dinner.
She is survived by five siblings, two daughters, Linda Culpepper and Brenda (Henry) Shaffer; three grandchildren, Michelle (Jim) Planek, Jenni (Erin) Moreno and Will (Nicole) Culpepper and eight great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her parents, Emery and Madonna Welch; husband, Jerry Dale Hammonds; two brothers, three sisters, her daughter, Judith Ann Belew and her son-in-law, Herb Culpepper.
A Celebration of Life will be held at a future date. In lieu of flowers, donations in Donna's name can be made to Tucson Botanical Gardens or Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF.org). Arrangements by EAST LAWN PALMS MORTUARY.
