Phyllis Elizabeth Donat, 86, of Randalia, died Thursday, May 9, 2013, at Maple Crest Manor in Fayette.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Monday, May 13, 2013, at Union United Methodist Church in rural Sumner, IA, with the Rev Jason Princer officiating. Interment will follow at Union Cemetery. Friends may call from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., Sunday, May 12, 2013, at Becker-Milnes Funeral Home in Sumner andfor one hour prior to the service at the church on Monday.  

Phyllis Donat was born in rural Fredericksburg, Iowa, on June 20, 1926, to Carl and Lula (Messerer) Hof. She was baptized by Pastor H. C. Schluter on January 23, 1927. She attended Randalia High School where she graduated as Valedictorian in 1944. Following high school, she worked as a book-keeper at Rath in Waterloo. She met Stanley Ray Donat and was married at Union Church on July 14, 1946, after a brief six-week courtship. Stanley and Phyllis were blessed with five children, Janice, James, Ray, Ann, and Patricia. Throughout her marriage, she was a farm wife, active gardener, and a dedicated member in her church, serving in a leadership role in the local and district United Methodist Women. She also was a frequent volunteer in her community and a generous friend and neighbor. She took great pride in caring for her family.

Phyllis is survived by her loving husband of nearly sixty-seven years, Stanley; her children, Janice (Steve) Vorthmann of Sumner, James (Darise) Donat of Maynard, Pastor Ann Donat of Douds, and Dr. Patricia (Gil Katzenstein) Donat of Dahlonega, GA; daughter-in-law, Connie Donat Nuss of Sumner; fourteen grandchildren; fifteen great grandchildren; and sisters, Evelyn Keel, Jeannette Reusch, and Donna Jacobi.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her son, Ray, who died in 2006; sisters, Lillian and Carol, brother, Carl, two infant siblings; and a granddaughter, Elizabeth.