Donia L. Noldon

Published 11:15 am Monday, January 4, 2010

Donia L. Noldon, the third of 10 children, was born in Jerome,
Ark. to Roscoe and Polly Noldon on Aug. 26, 1934. She attended
Sacred Heart High School in Greenville, Mich. and moved to Michigan with
the family in 1953. Later, she joined the Air Force after which she
graduated from the University of Michigan with an English degree. She
later earned a master’s degree from the university. She taught high
school in Detroit and then spent the rest of her teaching career at
Lansing Community College, where she taught creative writing and
literature.

Donia mentored a host of aspiring writers at Lansing Community
College. She was the faculty adviser for the literary magazine The
Washington Square Review. She received many awards for her work and
spent time at a number of writer’s colonies, including Breadloaf in
Vermont; Ossablaw Island, Georgia; and Austerleitz, New York. She was
a great lover of music and literature.

Donia was beloved by her family.  She had no children of her own; she
has been the devoted loving aunt to a host of nieces and nephews.
Since retirement, she has resided in Buchanan with her sister,
Athrell, in the family home at 107 Arctic St. Her dedication to
family was steadfast despite a long illness and hospitalization.

Donia is survived by her nine siblings, Frances Robberts of Columbus,
Ohio, Johnnie Ruth Jackson of Buchanan, Mary Adams of Niles, Betty
Allen of Brookline, Mass., Ross Noldon of Roseville, Calif., Jack Noldon of
Clovis, Calif., Deborah Hendrix of Detroit, Gary Noldon of Detroit and
many other family and friends.

Funeral services for Donia Noldon will be held at 11 a.m. Monday,
Jan. 4, 2010 at Hoven Funeral Home, Buchanan, with visitation one
hour prior to services at the funeral home.  Burial will take place at
Oak Ridge Cemetery, Buchanan.