Myra Doan

Myra Adella (Matthius) Doan, age 88, of Danville, our beloved mother, grandmother, and friend was called to heavenly glory on Thursday, January 14, 2010 at 10:04 pm. Mother was born June 16, 1921 in Indianapolis, Indiana to Edwin C. and Helen Christine Louise (Resener) Matthius. She was baptized into Christ on July 10, 1921 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Indianapolis, Indiana by her paternal grandfather, the Reverend John Dietrich Matthius. She confessed her baptismal faith in the rite of confirmation on June 2, 1935 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Danville. She married her high school sweetheart, Jim Doan, on January 9, 1946 after waiting for him for three-and-a-half years while he was serving in the army in Europe during World War II. They were in their 58th year of marriage when he preceded her in death on March 26, 2004. She was also preceded in death by her parents and two sisters, Mona Lee Matthius and Mary Elizabeth Bauer. Although dementia attacked and confused her mind, it could not affect the love in her heart for her children, loved ones, and friends. She is survived by daughters, Kathleen (William) Thoma of Catlin; Elizabeth (Ronald) Perkins of Danville; Sue Capasso Poore of Pembroke Pines, Florida; and son, James (Charna) Doan of Tucson, Arizona. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Mike Downing, Shannon (Craig) Kmett, Kerri (Brian) Flader, Amy (Aaron) Starr, Chris and Leslie Capasso, and Amber and Ashlynn Doan, and by her step-grandchildren, Dan Turpin, Linda White, Tracy Walton, and Dawn Thoma. She also had seven great-grandchildren and five step-great-grandchildren. She is survived by two sisters, Lois (Mike) Shade of San Diego, California and Nancy (Gil) Hively of Tucson, Arizona and nieces and nephews. Mother attended Garfield, Washington, and Tilton elementary schools and she graduated from Danville High School in 1939. After graduation from high school, she worked in Danville, Indianapolis, and Washington D.C. while waiting for Jim to come home. After her marriage and after all the children were in school, she began working at Harding Pharmacies in Danville as the bookkeeper and eventually became the office manager for all of the stores. She worked there for 19 years until her retirement in 1982. She enjoyed traveling, reading, playing cards, and visiting with family and friends. She especially enjoyed dancing with Dad, accompanying Dad to his Ikes Boys army reunions, and wintering in Florida for several seasons. She loved her church and was a member of the alter guild, the Eunice Society, and the Thursday morning Bible class at Trinity Lutheran. She had been a member of Junior Womens Club, Business and Professional Womens Club, and she had been a reading tutor at Danville Area Community College. For many years, she was a member of the committee that organized the 1938-1942 Danville High School class reunions. Guided by her faith, she was a faithful wife and a remarkable mother- there was none better. We give thanks to God our Father through Jesus Christ, our Lord, for our parents. Mom and Dad were always there for their children with advice and counsel, discipline, help, and encouragement, spiritual guidance, laughter, and plenty of love. We were blessed to have had both of our parents with us for so many years. Visitation will be Sunday, January 17, 2010 from 3:00 to 7:00 pm at Sunset Funeral Home. The funeral will be at Trinity Lutheran Church, 824 East Main Street, at 10:30 am on Monday, January 18, 2010 with Pastor Kent Tibben officiating. There will be a visitation at the church from 9:30 to 10:30 am the morning of the service. Memorials may be made to the Trinity Lutheran Church General Fund or Trinity Lutheran Church Giving Is a Blessing renovation fund.