HALSTEAD?Donna L. Bender, 80, died Tuesday, May 6, 2025, at her residence. She was born Sept. 10, 1944, in Kansas City, Missouri.
Donna was raised in and lived most of her life in Kansas. She graduated from Salina Central High School in 1962 and went on to earn a B.A .in social work from Washburn University. She also
received her master?s of social work, with honors, from the University of Kansas and a post master?s certificate from The Menninger Foundation in Psychiatric Social Work.
She was a Licensed Specialists Clinical Social Worker and a Licensed Clinical School Social Worker. She worked in the Menninger Clinic Children?s Division, Topeka; Jewish Federation
of Greater Kansas City; the American Red Cross; USD-259, Wichita; the Sedgwick County Education Co-Op and Fresenius Dialysis.
Through a lengthy career of working with children and adults in crisis, she saw some of the worst of humanity. Yet, she never lost her compassion for others or hope for the future. She was
a fiercely opinionated member of the Democratic Party and gave her financial support to causes that aligned with her political and social values. One of her favorite sweatshirts read ?Public Radio Nerd? and KMUW
was her soundtrack. She was also an avid sports fan who loved basketball and baseball.
She was an accomplished violinist, pianist and organist. In addition to playing and appreciating music, Donna was an avid gardener, a skilled sewist, world traveler and animal lover.
Contributing to her communities was a calling for Donna. She was a Girl Scout leader in Maize for many years. Additionally, she volunteered for the Maize schools Special Education Department;
Maize PTA; the Kansas Learning Center for Health and Neighbors Ministries in Halstead; The Meeting House in Sedgwick; and Book Reviews, Newton.
She was a Master Gardener through the Harvey County Extension Service and was a member of Phi Kappa Phi, NEA, Washburn University Alumni Association, KU Alumni Association and the Topeka
Civic Symphony.
On Aug. 28, 1965, Donna married Jack S. Bender III at Westminster Presbyterian Church, Topeka.
She is survived by her husband, Jack; daughters, Kelley (Jeff) DeGraffenreid, Wichita, Heather (John) Hallford, Mt. Vernon, Texas, and Marcia (Ken Bedingfield) Bender, Monument, Colo.; 10
grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Marian (Ward) Lamar; and her aunt, Maurine Ward.
A memorial gathering will be at 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 29, at The Meeting House, Sedgwick.
A private inurnment will take place at Halstead Cemetery.
