AUSTIN - Olivia Kay Sanders Donelson died Oct. 20, 2022 in Austin at Westminister Manor surrounded by family and friends. She was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2017 and she maintained her positive attitude and sense of humor up to the very end.
She was born May 8, 1944 in Seymour, to Kay Eggleston Stanley and Earl L. Stanley. As this was a war time marriage and due to lengthy separations it was not to last. Kay was remarried to David T. Sanders who adopted Olivia at the age of four. An experience she fondly shared was that at her adoption proceedings, she was seen crying as she thought her name was being changed from “Olivia” to “David”. She said, “I don’t want to be named David”.
During her high school years, she won multiple awards for her service and beauty contest. In 1961 she was presented with a Certificate of Appreciation from the United States Navy Recruiting Office for Outstanding Service. She was Miss Merry Christmas in 1961 at Slaton High School as well as the District Sweetheart for the Future Farmers of America.
She attended Texas Tech University where she met her future husband, Norman Bernard Donelson. They married on Aug. 29, 1964 and moved to Austin in 1970 where they joined Tarrytown UMC and raised their family.
She found her life’s calling when she was hired as Director of Senior Adult Ministries at Tarrytown United Methodist Church. She truly had a gift for working with senior adults. In her role at the church, she served as a link between the church and those who were homebound as well as provided social activities for those who could participate. She delighted those she worked with during the Thursday social gatherings with games, lunch and entertainment. She even chartered a bus several times a year for them to go on adventures together. She always shared her artistic talents and creative fun loving nature with everyone she came in contact with and was dearly loved by everyone she served. Throughout her 28 year career at Tarrytown UMC, she would arrange appointments and go with the senior pastor to take the sacrament of Holy Communion to those who were home bound and visit with them.
She loved clogging and taught tap and toe dancing at Shirley McPhail School of Dance for many years and she provided support to the Austin Living Center where her son Devin resides. She was involved in lobbying the legislature to improve the lives of the mentally and developmentally disabled and was an influential member of the Austin State School Parent Association.
She is survived by her husband Norman Bernard Donelson of Austin; sons Devin DeShea Donelson of Austin, and Shannon Lane Donelson and his wife Alexandra Woodul Donelson along with grandson Tyson (Ty) Lane Donelson and granddaughter Tess Alexandra Donelson, all of Austin. She was lovingly known to Ty and Tess by her “Grandmother” name “Ibby”. She is also survived by her step-brother Allan Keene Sanders of Manchaca.
She was preceded in death by her mother Kay Eggleston Stanley Sanders, her father Earl L. Stanley and step-father David T. Sanders.
A celebration of life was Oct. 26, at Tarrytown United Methodist Church.