Bethany, MO: Donella Faye (Hale) Hogan, 93, of Bethany, MO (formerly of Ridgeway, MO) went to be with the Lord on Friday, June 7, 2024, at Crestview Home in Bethany, Mo. Donella, the daughter of Matthew Hale and Zella (Fish) Hale, was born February 25th, 1931, at her grandparents’ home in Mt. Ayer, Iowa. Her parents and family moved to Ridgeway, Mo where Donella attended and graduated from Ridgeway High School, with honors, in May 1949. When she was in High School, she met the love of her life while working at Stoner’s Drug Store and Soda Shop in Ridgeway. The young man was Billy Dale Hogan recently home from World War II and rumor has it that he had a lot of milkshakes during their courtship. Donella’s entire life was filled with music and singing with her sister Vera while sister Fern played the piano. Many times, other family members joined in, including their nieces and nephews as their families grew and would get together.
Donella’s life consisted of working on a farm beside her husband and raising three children, Andrea, Yvette, and Tom. She had a big garden and did a lot of canning, raised a hundred or more baby chickens to butcher, and helped Bill on the farm when needed. She also would help her in-laws, Jack and Ella Hogan, who lived 2 miles from them with their farm projects. She enjoyed flowers and had several African Violets in an east window of the kitchen. She definitely had a “green thumb.” She made numerous jellies, but the family favorite was mulberry.
Another family favorite was her noodles and sticky popcorn. She was known for her chocolate cake and pies and famous with the grandkids for homemade chocolate milkshakes. She heard many times “grandma I want a milkshake” and soon they were enjoying grandma’s specialty. In later years, she worked at Peacock’s Restaurant, where people would come to enjoy her homemade pies. In recent years, through the journey with dementia, she kept her sense of humor and often surprised her family with a witty remark which they enjoyed!
Her life was dedicated to her family and church, Kirkley Chapel, where she was a member since 1953.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Bill; son-in-law ,Allen Virtue; brothers, Everette Hale and Lee Roy Hale; sisters, Ruby Prindle, Grace Boggess, Vera Baker, and Iola Fern Moody and their spouses, along with 3 infant siblings, also nieces, nephews, and brother-in-law, C.B. (Bruce) Hogan.
Survivors, who will miss her greatly, are daughters, Andrea (Doug) Puls and Yvette Virtue, Bethany, MO; son, Thomas (Jeanette) Hogan, Ridgeway, MO; grandchildren, Kobey (Danna) Puls, Brett (Kara) Virtue, Brandon (Ollie) Puls, Scott (Crystal) Virtue, Brooke (Zeb) Glenn, Dylan (Robin) Hogan, Quentin (Amanda) Hogan, Braden Hogan; 26 great grandchildren and 4 great, great grandchildren, also, numerous nieces and nephews and sister-in-law Rose Hogan. Funeral Services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, June 11, at Kirkley Chapel Church, Ridgeway, MO under the direction of Roberson Funeral Home, Bethany, MO. Burial will follow in the Kirkley Chapel Cemetery, Ridgeway, MO. Her family will receive friends from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. Tuesday at the church. Memorials may be made to Kirkley Chapel in care of Roberson Funeral Home, P.O. Box 46, Bethany, MO 64424. Online condolences may be left at www.robersonfuneralhome.com