Donna O'Dell

Donna will be celebrating Christmas with her beloved husband, Carl, this year. She passed away Friday, December 9, 2022. She was surrounded by her family. Graveside services will be 11 a.m. Tuesday, December 13 at Oakwood Cemetery with Matt Bogausch officiating. The family will receive visitors 6 to 8:00 p.m. Monday, December 12 at Pecan Grove Funeral Home, Waco.

Donna was born September 27, 1949 in Vernon, Utah to Gene and Betty Morris. As a child she lived in many states from Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico, Colorado and Texas. Of those, she loved Colorado the most, the mountain air and natural beauty of the mountains. However, it was Texas where she would meet her soulmate and love of her life, Carl Michael O’Dell. They met in Odessa, Texas in 1967 and were married in August 1968. They had two daughters, Tammy and Carla.

Donna loved her family with every ounce of her soul and showed her love through cooking big family dinners. If you ever had dinner at her house, your favorite side dish would be on the table even if you were the only one it was for. Also, no meal was ever complete without a homemade dessert. She loved to sew and throughout the years made her children and grandchildren many things. She enjoyed reading murder mystery books but could never pass a grocery line without her favorite weekly magazines. Donna could sit for hours and watch reruns of Perry Mason, Matlock, Murder She Wrote or any cooking show. She loved to travel but her favorite city was one with a casino. She could be entertained for hours at a penny slot. Donna was a sweet, simple woman with a heart of gold and she loved her family. She rarely missed any event for them. Donna was always the homeroom mom, coach for little league and sideline cheerleader for the many activities for her girls and grandchildren over the years.

She is preceded in death by her parents and husband.

Donna is survived by Tammy Leon and husband Hilario of Robinson; Carla Mitchell and husband Lance of College Station; grandchildren, Hilario “Michael” Leon and fiancée Beth Lowe, Kaycee Rogers and fiancé Chris Gilmore, Kayla Marek and husband Aaron, and Danielle Rogers. She was Gigi to Maci, Kenzie, Holli, Brooklynn, and Andrew. She is also survived by her brother, Steven Morris and wife Lisa of Colorado; and two nieces, Celeste and Tracy.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Visiting Angels of Waco.