Mary Pauline Donnell

MARY PAULINE (SPANKE) DONNELL, 86, died July 4, 2013, at Briarwood Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Little Rock. Mary was born January 21, 1927, in Clarksville, Arkansas to the late William and Marie Spanke and grew up in Clarksville. While in high school, Mary sang with her sisters Irene and Louise in an Andrews Sisters-style trio that entertained at fairs and other events. She graduated from St. Scholastica Academy in Fort Smith, where she was vice president of her class. Mary wed Jack H. Donnell on February 6, 1948. They lived in Camden, Ark., for 37 years. Mary was employed by International Paper Company and was an executive secretary there at the time of her departure. The Donnells were active members of St. John's Episcopal Church, where Mary served as president of the parish's Episcopal Church Women and as choir manager. In retirement the couple moved to Venice, Fla., and from there to San Antonio. They also traveled extensively. Mary became expert at Creole and Mexican cuisine and was esteemed by her extended family and friends for her seafood gumbo, her tortilla soup and her margaritas. Mary returned to Arkansas several years after Jack's death in 1994. Suffering from progressive Parkinson's disease, she entered Good Shepherd Retirement Center in Little Rock and in 2003 moved to Briarwood. The debilitating illness, however, made not the slightest mark on Mary's intellect or her spirit. She learned to use a computer and wrote keenly observant memoirs of her childhood and of life in the nursing home, and she became a skilled watercolorist. And she continued to sing. Mary departed this life while singing "Amazing Grace" in her hospice room at Briarwood with her longtime friend Gloria Wallace. Besides her husband Jack, Mary was preceded in death by brothers Edward, William and Roman Spanke and sisters Irene Treadway and Virginia Spanke. She is survived by her sister Louise Kihm of Lake Wales, Fla., and many loving nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews. Rev. Ken Scogsdill will perform a memorial service at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 13, 2013, at Briarwood. Arrangements are by Proctor Funeral Home in Camden, Ark. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. John's Episcopal Church in Camden. Please share your memories of Mary at CARoman@aol.com. To sign the online guest register, visit www.proctorfuneralhome.com.