James Loren Eugene Donley

James Loren Eugene Donley, 89 of Lexington, Missouri passed away after a lengthy illness on Monday, January 6, 2025, at Meyer Care Center in Higginsville, MO surrounded by family.

 

Visitation will be held from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., Sunday, January 12, 2025, at the Walker-Nadler-Fuller Funeral Home, 1720 South St., Lexington, MO, 64067, 660-259-2245. A funeral service will follow at 2:00 p.m., Sunday, January 12, 2025, at the funeral home. Interment will be in the Machpelah Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the family in care of Virginia Gum. Memories of James and condolences for his family may be left at www.LedfordFamilyFH.com or on our Facebook Page. 

 

James was born on March 28, 1935, in Urbana, MO to Audrey Mae (Ihrig) Donley and Eugene Lloyd Donley. Audrey died shortly after James’s birth. He was raised mainly by his grandmother Beulah Stirlen and step grandfather Jim Stirlen. He started school in Preston, MO and played basketball until his senior year before moving to Cross Timbers and continued playing basketball and softball, winning the tournament beating Urbana. After high school he moved to Kansas City, MO, first working at Canada Dry Bottling Co. He would move on to make gasoline tanks for the government then Texaco gas station, then to drive for Yellow Taxicab Co. to which he would tell all his stories from his route between Union Station to the downtown airport. At that time, he was introduced to the love of his life, Carolyn Anne (Box) Donley and was united in marriage in 1957. She preceded him in death in 2006. After working for General Motors, he went to work as a Deputy Sheriff for Gene Darnell of Lafayette County from 1965 until 1979. James took Criminal Justices classes and put his skills to use teaching school kids about law enforcement. In addition to his job duties, he was on the Major Case Squad. Before retiring he worked for S&K Industries. Jim loved working for Kenny and Dorrie Welch and Jim Steffens taking care of the cattle from 1979 to 2018. 

 

James is survived by three children, Richard Lee Donley (Laurey) of Liberty, MO, Virginia Anne Donley Gum (James) of Warsaw, MO, and James Allen Donley (Kelly) of North Kansas City, MO; 12 grandchildren, Jason Donley (Karen), Cassandra Donley, Courtney Campbell, Blair Donley, Bailey Flanegin (Nick), Alanna Donley, Gennifer Legate (Justin), Jessi Harlan (Eric), Amanda Trumble, Mathew Gum (Mariah), Chris Fibelkorn (Brian), and Grant Donley; 11great-grandchildren, Megan Legate, Taylor Trumble, Brayden Trumble, Riley Trumble, Oliver Gum, Addison Smith, Caroline Campbell, Lucas Nolker, Lily Nolker, Lena Nolker, and Emily Yurisich; a half-brother, Eugene “JR” Donley of Springfield, MO; a brother and sister-in-law, Virgil and LaVera Box; a brother-in-law, Stanley Box; and many relatives and friends. 

 

In addition to his parents and wife, James was preceded in death by a half-brother, Kenneth Donley; and a brother and sister-in-law, Bob and Eva Box.