- Date Of Birth: October 7, 1923
- Date Of Death: December 1, 2014
- State: Ohio
Donna May Theiss, 91, passed away Monday morning, December 1, 2014 at the Salem Regional Medical Center. She was born in Salem on October 7, 1923, and grew up in Salem, Campbell and Minnesota. Donna was preceded in death by her parents, Claus and Hazel (Somerville) Van Hovel; her brother Arling; and sisters Theda (Cook) and Jacqueline (Ewing). She is survived by her sister Geraldine Sullivan; her son Richard Theiss; granddaughters Ann Elizabeth (Theiss) Graff, Heather Lee Theiss and Jia Song Theiss; and two great grandchildren. During her lifetime she worked as a painter at several area potteries, taught dance at Arthur Murray Studios, was a model for a Kansas City agency, operated a charm school, was a secretary for Salem City Schools, a buyer secretary at General Motors Lordstown, and a children’s caregiver at preschools in Indianapolis and Denton, Texas. She attended public schools in Salem and Campbell, Minnesota, the Cheri Mon School of Art in Youngstown and studied drafting at the Salem Trades School. Donna had many interests and was an accomplished artist but above all had a passion for travel.
