Donna Mae Waterman

Donna Mae Waterman, 86, of Wichita, KS, passed away Tuesday, January 9, 2024. Visitation 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. with service following at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, January 12, 2024 at Headley Funeral Chapel, Augusta, KS. Burial will follow at Hillcrest Cemetery, Florence, KS. 
Donna was born November 5, 1937 in El Dorado, KS. She was the daughter of Ralph and Ruby (Morris) Stebbins. She had one sibling, a brother, Robert who was 5 years her senior. She made mention many times over the years of the wonderful childhood she was privileged to have. One of her favorite stories to tell was the Christmas morning when she was about 5 years old.  She tattled on Robert to her dad and dad spanked Robert for whatever it was she had tattled about and then spanked her for tattling.  It obviously had a lasting effect on her as she chuckled over that many, many times throughout her lifetime!
Donna attended grade school, junior high school, and high school in El Dorado and graduated from high school in 1955. Upon graduating from high school, she attended Wichita Business College. It was there she met her future husband, Galen Gene Waterman. After Business College, she started her working career at GMAC at the age of 18. She was employed there from 1956 to 1965. In the interim she and Galen married in 1958. A son, Daniel was born in 1960 and a daughter, Dana was born in 1965. From 1968 to 1974 Donna was employed by the Unified School District in El Dorado. From 1974 to 1980 she was the high school principal's secretary at Remington High School in Whitewater, KS. In the summer of 1980, she returned to work at GMAC after a 15 year break in service, and retired from General Motors in 1993 after working there for a total of 22 years. 
Donna was a member of the First Christian Church and Epsilon Sigma Alpha sorority. She later attended Woodridge Christian Church. She loved visiting with family and friends and especially enjoyed the time she was able to spend with her grandsons, Drayton and Dylan. Donna enjoyed an evening of playing cards and socializing with good friends. She loved the once a month get together with some of her chums from high school. This usually consisted of the same six long time friends whom Galen affectionately nicknamed "The Six Pak"! They would make a day out of it at times going shopping, trying all of the new restaurants, and going to the latest movies. Most importantly, they always had to go for dessert at the end of their outing! Donna did love her chocolate!
Donna and Galen traveled on many memorable trips during the course of their marriage. She thoroughly enjoyed each and every new experience, but was always glad to return home to see her family and friends. She always contended - "There's no place like home!".
She is survived by: son, Dan Waterman and wife Desiree; daughter, Dana Schillinger and husband Kevin; grandchildren, Drayton and Dylan Waterman. She was preceded in death by her husband, Galen Waterman; parents, Ralph and Ruby Stebbins; brother, Robert Stebbins. 
Memorial donations to The Lord's Diner, 520 N Broadway Wichita, KS 67214.