Witherspoon, Donna Musgjerd 1932 - 2001

WITHERSPOON, MUSGJERD

Posted By: Pat Ludeke (email)
Date: 5/20/2013 at 23:33:35

DONNA WITHERSPOON
CLEAR LAKE - Donna Musgjerd Witherspoon, 68, a resident of Oakton, Va., died January 14, 2001 at the Hospice of Northern Virginia. She had lung cancer.
A memorial service for Mrs. Witherspoon will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 5, at Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, 101 N. Fourth St. in Clear Lake, with the Rev. Dean Hess officiating. A private graveside will be held at Memorial Park Cemetery, Mason City, Iowa, at a later date.
The family will receive friends after the service at the home of Miss Joanne Watkins, 215 N. Third Street, Clear Lake.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Hospice of Northern Virginia, 6565 Arlington Blvd., Suite 500, Falls Church, Va. 22042.
Donna was born in Thornton, Iowa, on March 5, 1932, the daughter of Maud and Elmer Musgjerd. Donna Witherspoon grew up in Clear Lake and graduated from Clear Lake High School in 1949. She received a B.A. degree from Northwestern University in 1953.
During the 1950s, Donna worked for several firms in New York City, including McCann Erickson and Royal Dutch Shell. She moved to Washington in 1960 where she worked for Civil Air Transport and Air America.
In 1965 she joined the public relations staff of the Smithsonian Institution where she met Thomas C. Witherspoon. They were married in 1966 and had two children, Thomas Anders and Katherine Elaine Witherspoon.
Mrs. Witherspoon returned to work in 1980 and was employed by Corning Glass Works and the Mobil Corporation, from which she retired in 1996.
She is survived by her husband Tom; son, Thomas Witherspoon and his wife, Elizabeth P. Nash; and daughter, Katherine Witherspoon, all of whom reside in Northern Virginia, and a brother, Robert D. Musgjerd, of Wilmette, Ill..
Donna is preceded in death by her parents.
Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel is in charge of local arrangements. Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, (641) 357-2193.