Donna Martinez

KALONA ? Donna Jean Martinez, 88, of Kalona died Thursday, March 9, 2017, at her home.

A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m., Wednesday, March 15, at the East Union Mennonite Church in Kalona with the Rev. Joel Beachy officiating. A graveside service will be held at 2 p.m., Wednesday at the Rose Hill Cemetery in Marshalltown. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m., Tuesday at the Peterseim Funeral Home in Kalona. A memorial fund has been established for the East Union Mennonite Church.

Mrs. Martinez was born Dec. 11, 1928, in Marshalltown, the daughter of Chester and Bernadine (Thompson) Thomas. She married Emmett Gunderson on June 27, 1950. He preceded her in death in 1967. She married Joe Martinez in December 1988.

She graduated from Marshalltown High School. She worked as a secretary for Fisher Governor and a law office until 1968, when she began working for the LeGrand Dunbar Ferguson (LDF) School District, where she worked until retirement in 1988. She was a member of the East Union Mennonite Church, and she enjoyed watching sports, including the Iowa State Cyclones and the Iowa Hawkeyes, flower gardening and staying in touch with her family. She was known as a very good cook, learning to cook Norwegian and Mexican food.

Surviving are her husband Joe of Kalona; three sons, Darryl Gunderson and wife Elizabeth of Nevada, Texas, Dennis Gunderson and wife Suzette of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and Dan Gunderson and wife Lois of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania; three stepsons, Joey Martinez and wife Erin of Denver, Colorado, Mark Martinez and wife Lori of Cedar Rapids, and Robert Martinez and wife Letice of Brookfield, Illinois; 11 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and five step-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Emmett; and one sister, Dorothy Richardson, in 2007.