Anna Lea Mayhew Donaldson, 87, died peacefully after a short illness on Thursday, Jan. 20, 2011, at Sid Peterson Regional Hospital. Anna Lea Donaldson was born Jan. 31, 1923, in Uvalde, Texas, to Arthur B. and Anna Cate Mayhew.
At the age of three she was taught to read and write by her grandmother, Elisabeth Cate, who resided with them. She attended school in Uvalde before entering Baylor University, graduating in 1943, with a degree in music history.
Anna Lea married John Pershing Donaldson, an Army pilot, in May 1944, and lived in several locations before settling in Austin, until 1952, when they moved back to Uvalde so John could be a flight instructor in Hondo, Texas. During their time in Uvalde they enjoyed a full life with four children, were active in the community and attended First Baptist Church, where she played the organ for 13 years. They were part of a wonderful group of friends who called themselves the Frio River Beach Club.
Following the death of her husband she sold the family home and returned to Baylor University in 1970 for a graduate degree in music and then attended the University of Texas and received a graduate degree in library science. She worked for nine years as Reference Librarian at the Abilene, Texas, public library, and then as the reference and music librarian at Hardin Simmons University for nine years.
She loved music, books and the academic atmosphere, remaining at Hardin Simmons until she retired at age 70 and moved to Kerrville in 1993. In Kerrville she volunteered at the Trinity Baptist Church library and Butt-Holdsworth Library.
Anna Lea is survived by Diane Donaldson and by Sally Donaldson Justice and husband, Clyde, all of Kerrville; Jon Donaldson and wife, Mary, of Austin, and George Donaldson and wife, Tracie, of Las Vegas, Nev.; grandchildren, Lea Anne Nickells and husband, Mark, John-David Wallace, Mathew and Sara Donaldson; great-grandchildren, Cullen, Tucker and Mason Nickells and Cooper Katherine Wallace; niece, Fran Potter; and nephew, Jim Luper.
Anne Lea was preceded in death by her husband, John P. Donaldson; parents, Arthur and Anna Mayhew; brother, Ancil Mayhew; and sister, Elisabeth Luper.
A graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 12, at Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery, Uvalde.
The family invites you to send condolences to www.timeformemory.com/wrights.
Local arrangements are under the care of Wright's Funeral Parlor in Kerrville.
