Madonna Clare Staley Pashia

Oct. 10, 2012 5:07 PM PT

Donna was born on the family farm near Charter Oak, Iowa December 4, 1925 to Francis Anthony and Catharine Ellen Gaughan Staley. She was raised on farms near Charter Oak and Ute, Iowa, attending rural neighborhood schools. Donna loved her high school days at Charter Oak and graduated with the class of 1943. She often told stories about driving her four younger brothers to school and playing basketball for Charter Oak High.
After graduation, she was invited by her aunts, Clare Luft and Donna Fester, to move to Glendale, California and enter cosmetology school. She worked in their salon for several years before moving on to salons in La Jolla and Palm Springs.
Donna spent a couple years working as a stylist on a cruise ship traveling from Los Angeles to Hawaii and back to San Francisco. She and a friend became co-owners of a salon in Costa Mesa.
It was while living in Costa Mesa that she met her husband, Richard R. Pashia. Donna and Dick were married at St. Joachim Catholic Church on the 17th of September, 1966. They lived in Costa Mesa until they purchased their home in Corona Del Mar.
Dick and Donna loved to go golfing and traveled to Iowa and St. Louis, Missouri to visit their families. Donna gave up her career to care for Dick as he fought with cancer. Dick passed away in their home on November 2, 1978.
Donna then pursued a career in real estate, working on Catalina Island and also in Dan Point. She also worked as an office receptionist in her neighborhood at Sherman Gardens in Corona Del Mar. One of her greatest passions was meeting and taking an interest in her neighbors and their lives.
She was an avid reader and worked daily crosswords and crypto quotes. She liked to play cards, board games and watched all the golf tournaments. She was always interested in sports. Donna took a great interest in the arts and frequently attended art shows, displaying a special interest in Laguna Beach Art Shows.
Donna was a member of Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Newport Beach.
Donna died peacefully in her home October 2, 2012.
Donna was preceded in death by her loving husband Dick; her parents, Frank and Ella Staley; her siblings Patricia, Beatrice, Joseph, Lawrence, Donald and Marvin Staley; nephews Randy Staley and Bruce and Brian Larkin.
She is survived by brothers: Frank and Mary Staley of Dayton, Ohio; Jack and Delores Staley of Carroll, Iowa; Earl Staley of Charter Oak, Iowa; sister: Judy and Don Groth of Denison, Iowa; sisters-in-law: Elaine Staley and Germaine Staley of Charter Oak, Iowa; stepson: Mark and Melissa Pashia of Silverado Canyon, California; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
A memorial mass will be celebrated at 3:00 p.m., Saturday, October 13, 2012, at Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Newport Beach, CA with Father Joseph Truong as Celebrant. In lieu of flowers the family prefers memorials to Sherman Gardens in Corona Del Mar. The Pfannebecker Funeral Home, www.pfannebecker.com, Denison, IA is in charge of arrangements.