DRAKESVILLE – Dona Jean Goettsche, 76, of Drakesville, Iowa passed away on January 19, 2025 at her home.
She was born on November 4, 1948 in Iowa City, Iowa to Dr. William H. and Shirley Jean Underkofler Schlegel. Dona married Marc Miller on June 2, 1968 in Bloomfield, Iowa. They later divorced. On June 28, 2003 she married Arvid Goettsche in Drakesville.
Dona graduated from Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and later earned a Master’s Degree in Administration and Supervision. She started her career as an elementary school teacher and taught in the classroom for Davis County Schools for many years before becoming the curriculum director for the Linn-Mar School District. After several years at Linn-Mar, she moved back to Davis County when she was hired as the elementary and middle school principal for Davis County. Dona served in that role most of the 1990’s until she became principal at Bowman Woods Elementary with the Linn-Mar School District. In 2003, she returned to southeast Iowa and worked for the AEA in Ottumwa until her retirement in 2014. She touched many lives in her years of education – something she was very proud of.
Dona and Arvid loved to travel together. They attended the Cheyenne Frontier Days in Cheyenne, Wyoming for over 20 years and would spend several weeks in South Padre Island, Texas during the winter months. They enjoyed going to Iowa Hawkeye football games and tailgating. Dona also enjoyed going on walks, shopping for antiques, being outside working on the farm, and mowing and trimming the lawn. She was a talented golfer and twice won the Women’s City Tournament at the Bloomfield Country Club. She loved spending time with her family and she will be forever missed.
She is survived by her husband, Arvid Goettsche; three sons, Marcus Cree Miller, Christopher (Amy) Miller both of Bloomfield, Iowa, Clay Miller of Las Vegas, Nevada; six grandchildren, Solomon Miller of Altoona, Iowa, Randal Ream of California, Nicholas Miller of Knoxville, Iowa, Gracie Miller of Iowa City, Iowa, Katie Selvy of Bloomfield, Sky (Dillan) Schrock of Oskaloosa, Iowa; step-daughter, Kim (Russell) Hadley of Marietta, Oklahoma; two step-grandchildren, Mackenzie (Hunter) Hill, Paige Barker both of Marietta; numerous great-grandchildren; and a brother, Cree (Teri Bogle) Schlegel of Bloomfield.
She was preceded in death by her parents.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, January 24, 2025 at the Wagler Funeral Home in Bloomfield with Pastor Don Naftz officiating.
Burial will be at the IOOF Cemetery in Bloomfield. Visitation will begin at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday with the family present to greet friends from 5-7:00 p.m. at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, memorials have been established to Davis County Dollars for Scholars and the Bloomfield Country Club.
