Donnis F. Whaley, of Wellington, Kansas, passed away on Monday, April 22, 2019 at Sumner Community Hospital in Wellington, Kansas at the age of 80.
Donnis was born the daughter of Charles W. and Mabel T. (Downen) Pettigrew on Sunday, October 23, 1938 in Wellington, Kansas.
On December 24, 1959, Donnis and Robert L. Whaley were united in marriage at the First Christian Church in Wellington, Kansas. Together they celebrated 59 years of marriage.
As a young girl, she was educated in the Abington Greene School which still stands North of Wellington today. Donnis later went on to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Music and a Masters Degree in Elementary Education. Her first teaching assignment was at the Udall Grade School where she stayed until her son, Steven, was born. Donnis then decided to stay home and raise her family that eventually grew to three boys: Steven, Todd and Greg. While at home, she gave private piano and voice lessons and continued to do so for the next 30 years. Her love of music and children caused her to go back to teaching when Greg started school. Mrs. Whaley taught Fourth Grade at Kennedy Elementary when the school first opened. She also taught English and History at the Wellington Junior High for five years. Mrs. Whaley then became the music teacher for Washington and Eisenhower Elementary for the next 20 years and retired in 1998. She played the organ for many weddings and funerals in her lifetime and was the organist at several Wellington churches. After retirement, she began the hobby of quilting and volunteered many quilts to worthwhile charities.
Survivors include her husband, Robert L. Whaley of Wellington, Kansas, sons: Steven Whaley of Wellington, Kansas, Todd Whaley and his wife Karen of Wellington, Kansas, Greg Whaley and his wife Kolleen of Omaha, Nebraska; sister, Peggy Ginn and her husband David of Corbin/Caldwell, Kansas, grandchildren: Jessica Beebe and her husband Bryson, Megan Plummer and her husband Dylan, Robert T. Whaley, Sarah Schoenefer and her husband Nick, Chandler Whaley, Garrith Whaley, Kelsey Werner, Kellen Werner and his wife Courtney, Kaley Werner, great-grandchildren: Illysa Roberts, John Roberts, Devon Schoenefer, Aviana Beebe and Adley Werner.
She was preceded in death by her parents and grandson, Christopher Boston.
Visitation will be held at the funeral home from 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Thursday, April 25, 2019 with the family present from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Funeral services for Mrs. Whaley will be held at 10:00 a.m., Friday, April 26, 2019 at the First Christian Church, Wellington, Kansas. Pastor Roger Lee of Hillside Baptist Church will officiate.
Interment will follow at Sumner Memorial Gardens, Wellington, Kansas.
A memorial fund has been established in her loving memory to the Wheat Capital Quilt Society. Contributions may be mailed or left with the funeral home.
Arrangements are by Cornejo|Day Funeral Home & Crematory, Wellington, Kansas.