Dona L.H. Monroe

Dona Monroe

Dona Lee Helen Monroe, nee Foster, 81, born Jan. 19, 1935, in Lenzburg, Ill., passed away very peacefully on Sunday, June 5, 2016, at the home of her son and daughter-in-law in Marine, Ill.

She was many things during her life: Christian, teacher, artist, historian, author, journalist, editor, cartoonist, speed boat driver, genealogist, and photographer, but, above all, a loving daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt and grandmother.

She grew up in O'Fallon, Ill., and lived in Lebanon, Ill., from 1956 until 2013. She wrote many articles for the Lebanon Advertiser during that time period professing her love for Lebanon and its wonderful residents and history. She attended grade school and high school in O'Fallon, Ill., attended college at Blackburn for one year, and graduated from Normal Teaching College in 1956. She began her teaching career at Lebanon High School, where she taught English. She met her husband, Moonie, when high school students introduced the couple to each other. They married on July 13, 1957, in a double ceremony with her sister, JoAnn, and JoAnn's husband, Clyde. The two couples spent almost every weekend of their lives together, their children always in a mischievous tangle. Dona taught at Central School in O'Fallon from 1957 to 1964, returning to Lebanon at that time to teach 4th grade and Title 1. She retired from teaching in 1982 and began a host of other occupations and hobbies. She was a charter member of Looking Glass Playhouse in Lebanon in 1973 and was active on stage, in the ticket booth, behind the scenes and on the Board of Directors. She sketched almost 150 homes and historical buildings in St. Clair County, Ill., in pen and ink for homeowners and historical societies. She photographed countless homes, buildings and parks in Southern Illinois and around the country. She was the editor of historical books and programs, and the co-editor of two books about Lebanon: "A Pictorial View of Lebanon, Illinois" and "A Reminiscent View of Lebanon, Illinois." She was the unofficial Lebanon historian and was on the committee to build the Lebanon Visitor's Center in 1996.

She touched the lives of many people and she will be greatly missed. Her sense of humor and laugh were infectious and matched only by her generous love and kindness for the people whose lives she entered. She also owned a home at Lake of Egypt, Marion, Ill., where she enjoyed countless hours of boating and spent precious time with relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Rofield Benjamin and Sylvia Ann, nee Schuster, Foster; her husband, Walter "Moonie" Monroe, who died in 2012; her brother, Steven Foster; a nephew, Danny Lee Pruett; and in-laws, Clyde Pruett, Dorothy Hammond, William E. (Jr.) Monroe, Martha Parker, Ralph Monroe, Mary Dontigney and Marc Dontigney.

Surviving are a sister, JoAnn Pruett of Shiloh, Ill.; a brother and sister-in-law, Ron and Michelle (Jancovic) Foster of Chicago, Ill. (children Evan and Reis); a son and daughter-in-law, Brad and Maria Monroe of Marine, Ill.; a daughter and son-in-law, Allyson and Dave Tilton of California; grandchildren Matthew Monroe (Stephanie) of Michigan, (son Braylon), Michael Monroe of North Carolina, Marlee (Bon) Bourne of Michigan, Michaela Fellers of Marine, Ill., Michael Fellers of Ohio, Sarah and Austin Tilton of California, Ann (Tom) Bright of California, and Jeff (Lisa) Tilton of Las Vegas, Nev. Also surviving are many beloved in-laws and nieces and nephews: Pam (Richard) Koshko of Lebanon, Ill., (children Ricky, Heather and Ashleigh), Gary (Deb) Monroe of Belleville, Ill., (children Josh and Libby), John (Christine) Dontigney of Wisconsin, Paul (Karen) Dontigney of Lebanon, Ill., Becky Hammond of Lebanon, Ill., Jack Parker of St. Jacob, Ill., (children Angie, Eddie and Jackie), Mark Pruett of Mascoutah, Ill., (children Terry, Lori and Carrie), Shelly (Lonnie) Mudd of Carterville, Ill., (children Ben and Levi), Bryan (Heather) Ford , Ashley (Jason) Totten of Troy, Ill., Todd (Mary) Pruett of Belleville, Ill., (children Todd, Abe, Sam and Erin), Tim (Leslie) Pruett of Freeburg, Ill., (Joseph and Jacob), and Amy (Rich) LeFebvre of Phoenix, Ariz.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in her name can be made to St. Paul United Church of Christ in Lebanon, Ill., Looking Glass Playhouse in Lebanon, Ill., or the Lebanon Visitor's Center.

Services: A celebration of life will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 11, 2016, at St. Paul United Church of Christ, Lebanon, Ill., with a luncheon to follow.