Donna Jo Ailer

Donna Jo Ailer of Peabody Retirement Community, North Manchester, Indiana passed away at 3:35 p.m. on Thursday, December 16, 2021 at Parkview Wabash Hospital in Wabash, Indiana at the age of 93. 

She was born on October 29, 1928 in Fulton County, Indiana to Blanche (Wynn) Ailer and Russell Ailer.  Donna was a 1948 graduate of Atwood High School, Atwood, Indiana.  She worked for 50 years in South Bend, Indiana as a telephone operator for Bell Telephone Company. 

Donna always kept herself busy and enjoyed crocheting, knitting, and of course cooking.  After retirement she was quite proud of the fact that she learned to play the piano and she was never too old to try something new.  She had a lifetime special friend in Ed, and over the years they shared many adventures as they traveled to different places.  She was a wonderful sister and aunt to her many nieces and nephews she leaves behind.  Donna will be dearly missed by everyone who was fortunate to have known her. 

She leaves behind her niece:  Vicki (Tim) Mikel (Mentone, Indiana); and eight nephews: Fred (Debbie) Horn (Georgia); Barry (Judy) Peterson (Rochester, Indiana); Mickey (Sue) Horn (Rochester, Indiana); Greg (Brenda) Swanson (South Carolina); Mike (Amy) Swanson (Warsaw, Indiana); Scott (Bonnie) Swanson (Winona Lake, Indiana); Jeff (Claudia) Swanson (Warsaw, Indiana); David (Lora) Swanson (Atwood, Indiana); and her brother-in-law:  Bob Swanson (Warsaw, Indiana).  She was preceded in death by her parents, three sisters, Velma Horn, Thelma Peterson and most recently Phyllis Swanson in 2021, and her lifelong companion, Ed.           

Donna’s family will celebrate her life with a private visitation and remember her always.  Arrangements were entrusted to Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, 225 Argonne Road, Warsaw, Indiana. 

Memorial donations may be directed to the Salvation Army, 501 Arthur Street, Warsaw, Indiana  46580.

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