Donna Ice

Donna (Evans) Ice, 78, passed away surrounded by loved ones on Wednesday, June 3, 2020. A resident of Georgetown, IL for 42 years, she established the small city as her permanent home.

Donna was born October 7, 1941 in Chicago, IL to Chester Evans and Donabelle (Griffith) Evans. She has two surviving children: Shelly (Ice) Nale of Georgetown and Robby Ice of Woodridge. They will dearly miss her. Also surviving are two grandsons, Michael Nale of Springfield and Mathew Nale of Georgetown, one brother, Franklin Evans of Alamagordo, New Mexico, one sister, Bobbie (Bob) Grissom of Virden, IL, and several nieces and nephews. Donna was preceded in death by her parents, Chester and Donabelle Evans, as well as her husband of more than 50 years, Harlan "Punky" Ice.

During the industrial heyday, Donna found work in various Danville area factories. She later worked at Sudlow Photography for 11 years. When grandparenthood came calling, she often performed babysitting duties for her grandsons, Michael and Matthew. For more than 4 years, she was also a babysitter for Alyssa Sawyer, whom she continued to hold dear to her heart.

Donna Always loved a good joke, a fun dance, and a good time. Taken straight from The Mary Tyler Moore Show, "A little song, a little dance, a little seltzer down you pants" was a motto by which Donna lived. In the 1960s, she played guitar and sang with Danville area rock and roll bands - one of the first female musicians in the Danville area to do so. She met her husband, Harlan "punky" ice, in one of those bands she frequented. Punky was a keyboard player and singer, and together he and Donna performed in more than a few Danville area bands throughout the years such as Spice, The Stone Country Band, The 1959 Band, and The Cruse Brothers. On gig night, you could hear her distinctive contralto lead vocal covering Bette Midlers "The Rose," though she would generally provide background vocals covering popular hits such as Aces "How Long" or Box Scaggs, "Breakdown Dead Ahead." Donna also enjoyed a good movie and Hollywood culture: without any visual aid (or even being in the same room), she could tell you the title of any Tinseltown classic within seconds of hearing the first few strains of the strains of opening music. She loved to draw and paint and had many friends throughout her life with whom she shared great memories.

A graveside service to celebrate her life will be at 2:00pm on Monday, June 8, 2020 at Georgetown Cemetery. Her family was assisted by Sunset Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Georgetown, Illinois 200 E. West St. Georgetown, Illinois 61846. Memorial donations may be given in her name to your local food pantry in her honor. Please join her family in sharing memories, photos, or record a personal video message to be sent to the family with Send Hugs at www.sunsetfuneralhome.com.