Donna Kathryn Christian

1965 - 2020

Donna Kathryn (Ginnings) Christian

Donna Kathryn Ginnings was born in Springfield, Mo June 11, 1965, to Don and Kathy Ginnings of Hermitage, Mo. She passed away December 15, 2020, at Mercy Hospital in Springfield, Mo., after a seventeen year battle with breast cancer.

She was preceded in death by her maternal and paternal grandparents, Earl and Willa Mae Jenkins and Ed and Evalena Ginnings, all of Hermitage. She is survived by her two daughters, Kaylee and Trevor Ankrom of Fair Play and Emily Christian of the home; her parents; her sister, Amy and Charley Dryer; her brother, Matt and Sue Ann Ginnings; six nieces and nephews, Brandon, Anna, Haleigh, Brady, Katie and Clayton; many other relatives and friends.

Donna attended kindergarten at Linn Creek, Mo, a part of the Camdenton School District, and then the next twelve years at Hermitage School where she graduated as valedictorian of her class of 1983. She was the third of four generations of her family to earn that honor at HHS. She was married to Jay Christian from 1984 to 2012. As a young girl she worked with her parents and grandparents at The Index newspaper in Hermitage where she developed an interest in accounting and business management. She continued supervising accounting and auditing operations for the newspaper until her parents retired in 2013.

She graduated from Southwest Missouri State University (now Missouri State University) in Springfield with a degree in accounting. She continued her education and earned certification as a Certified Public Accountant in 1988 and a Certified Government Financial Manager in 1995. She worked several years as a senior auditor, staff auditor and audit manager for the Missouri State Auditor's office and then was named the Director, Internal Audit and Compliance at MSU. She was a member of the Missouri Society of CPA's, member and past president of the Association of Government Accountants (Ozarks Chapter), Association of College and University Auditors, and Reach for Recovery Volunteer for the American Cancer Society. She mentored and counseled many cancer patients and helped them through their treatment and recovery efforts.

Her most treasured accomplishments were her motherhood and Christianity. She was saved at age 11 at the altar at Decaturville Missionary Baptist Church and was an active member there as long as her health permitted. Her daughters, Kaylee and Emily, were the pride and joy of her life, and she enjoyed spending time with them shopping and lounging at the beach. When she was first diagnosed with stage four breast cancer in 2003, her prayer was that she could live long enough to see her daughters graduate from high school. Miraculously, the Lord gave her that much time plus more. Her oncologist told Kaylee and Emily that she had never seen a stage four cancer patient survive for so long.

Donna was known as a stickler for compliance with state and federal laws as well as accounting standards and practices. She frequently taught courses in special auditing practices and fraud investigation to staff of the state auditor's office.

She was also known for her strong family activities including attending weekly dinners for all her family members and attending sporting events to watch her children or nieces and nephews. She loved living on her farm near Nemo.

Funeral services were Friday, December 18, at 2 p.m. at Hathaway-Peterman Funeral Home at Wheatland, Mo., with Bro. John Klemm officiating. Burial was in Hermitage Cemetery. Memorials may be sent to the Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks at 620 West Republic Road, Suite 107, Springfield, MO 65807.