Donna Louise Mathuews, of Safford, entered eternal life July 12, 2024. She was born in Morgantown, West Virginia, on August 20, 1947. Donna was the eldest child of Ira and Viola Mathuews.
Growing up, Donna was the big sister to her 6 siblings – Janice, Lamont, Dorsey, Edie, Ruby, and Pam. Donna dropped out of high school at the age of 16 to help take care of her brothers and sisters. At this time, she also attended beauty school. She was one of the legitimate “Beauty School Dropouts”. She was working in Safford at the A & W Rootbeer stand when she met and married Eddie Warren. Together they had 2 daughters, Jacinda Lynn and Angela Leslie. After the breakup of her first marriage, she later met and married Leo Trottier. They then raised the girls in Clifton, Arizona. After the girls were grown, they too went their separate ways.
Donna moved from Clifton to the Safford and Thatcher area to be closer to her daughters. She went back to school, got her high school diploma and attended Eastern Arizona College, where she was a seamstress in the drama department. One of her greatest achievements was when her children and grandchildren were able to watch her walk down the aisle and receive her college diploma.
Donna made friends easy. She was friends with everyone she met, and she was a friend for life. She didn’t get out much in her later years, but she was constantly on the phone keeping in touch with all her family and friends. Even though she didn’t go out much, she knew everything that was going on.
Donna enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They all knew her as GiGi. She was GiGi, not only to her own grandchildren, but all the extended children from friends and family that would meet her. She loved and embraced them all. She loved playing games, watching Wheel of Fortune or Antiques Road Show, doing word search puzzles and talking on the phone. She grew up with a love of dance and music. Some of her favorites were Elvis Presley, Ricky Nelson and Clay Walker. She was known for her quick wit and sense of humor. Her smile and laughter will be dearly missed.
Donna is survived by: her daughters, Cindy Dixson and Angie Dixson; siblings, Janice Greaber, Dorsey Mathuews, Edie Wheeler, Ruby Cauthen (Art), Pam Ward (Toby), and Ray Hughes; her grandchildren, Jamie Darnell (Bryan), Savannah Solberg (Chad), Timothy Dixson, Vanessa Chitwood (Josh), Skyler Dixson (Jori), and Bethany Dixson (Navarone); and her ten great-grandchildren, Gabriel, Brooklyn, Aaliyah, Aiden, Destyni, Chloe, Olivia, Noah, Melody, and Charlie. Along with many nieces, nephews and friends who loved her. Donna was preceded in death and will be warmly greeted by: her parents, Viola Mathuews and Ira Mathuews; as well as her brother, Lamont Mathuews.
She has been a huge presence in our lives and will be forever loved and dearly missed.
Funeral services for Donna will be conducted Friday morning, July 26, 2024, at 10:00 a.m., at the First Baptist Church of Duncan by Lonnie Haught. Concluding services will follow in the Duncan Cemetery.
The family will receive friends Friday morning, July 26, 2024, from 9:30 a.m. until service time at 10:00 a.m., also at the church.
Online condolences may be offered at www.viningfuneralhome.com
Arrangements are entrusted to Vining Funeral Home.
