Fatland, Donita Verdere - 1929-2012

BLAIR, EATON, FATLAND, FLOYD, HENDRICKS, MYERS

Posted By: Diana Wagner
Date: 7/20/2024 at 10:01:34

Donita Verdere Hendricks Fatland, 82, died Saturday, January 7, 2012 at Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., Thursday, January 12, 2012 at the Colfax Methodist Church, 7 S. Locust Street, Colfax, Iowa. Burial will immediately follow the service at the Colfax Cemetery. Visitation will precede the funeral at the Methodist Church at 10 a.m. until the start of services.
Donita was born to Ted and Sophia Ellen (Floyd) Hendricks on February 1, 1929 in Scranton, Iowa. A vivacious teenager, Donita graduated from Jefferson High School, Jefferson Iowa in 1946. She went on to complete courses in nurses training at Mercy Hospital Training School in Des Moines, Iowa. It was during this time that she met John Fatland. John and Donita were married in Jefferson, Iowa, October 31, 1948. At the completion of John's medical training and military commitments they settled in Des Moines, Iowa and raised a large family.
Donita was active in Des Moines Public School District planning and parent-teacher organizations. She served as President of the Polk County Medical Society Auxiliary and was fifty year member of PEO. In 1990, after John retired from medical practice, he and Donita relocated to John's childhood hometown of Colfax, Iowa. She was a member of the Colfax United Methodist Church. Donita, affectionately Dory, had a keen love and appreciation for all things living. Her irrepressible spirit and joy of life was infectious and inspirational to all who had the privilege of knowing, loving and being loved by her.
Those left to honor her memory include her husband John, now residing at Ramsey Village, Des Moines; her children Tamara Blair of Iowa City, James Todd Fatland and his wife Linda of West Des Moines, Tracy Fatland of Mitchellville, Heidi Fatland and her husband Jeffrey Eaton of Madison, WI, and Lars Fatland and his wife Karen of Des Moines, Iowa. Donita is also survived by nine grandchildren, six great grandchildren, her sister Meredith Myers of Iowa City, her sister-in-law Mary Anne Hendricks of Clear Lake, Iowa and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother James Hendricks and her infant son. Memorials may be directed to University of Iowa Foundation in support of Department of Ophthalmology, P.O. Box 4550, Iowa City, Iowa, 52244 or Jasper County Hospice, Newton, Iowa.
Published in Des Moines (IA) Register; Tuesday, January 10, 2012, page 5B