Donna Helen Parkin

1934 - 2021

Born Helen Madonna Looney on August 15, 1934, Donna was the fourth of six children (Kay, Dorothy, Jack, Donna, Julie and Carol) of parents Thomas and Helen (McKernan) Looney, and happily grew up with her siblings on a farm in Postville, IA until the age of 13, when her father passed away. Upon her father's passing, Donna's mother ("Memo" to her grandchildren) moved the family to Waterloo, IA where Donna attended East Waterloo High School and worked at Waterloo Savings and Loan. In 1955, at the age of 23, Donna and her three best friends, Deede, Millie and Jan, collectively decided Iowa was not where their future lied and drove west to Long Beach, CA. Shortly thereafter, Donna met her neighbor and, as fate would have it, her future husband, Robert Parkin. Robert and Donna wed on July 27, 1957, and were blessed with nearly 64 years of a true love story. Donna passed away on December 28, 2020. Donna is survived by her husband, Robert (Bob); children, Greg (Beth) Parkin, David (Pam) Parkin, Kathleen (Bob) Williford, Amy (Scott) Royle; grandchildren, Caitlin, Courtney, Connor, Emily, Scott, Jack, Max, Chad, Amy, Emma, Charlie, Dan and Joe; and great-grandson, Nicolas. She is predeceased by her first-born children, Kimory Louise, and Thomas Patrick. Due to COVID, the funeral and burial will remain private.