Donna Belle Baker Chance

Donna Belle Baker Chance, 88 passed away August 24, 2016.

She was born February 20, 1928, in Wichita, and grew up on a farm north of Rose Hill, KS, the third of five children, to Floyd and Waldena Showalter. She graduated from Rose Hill High School in May 1945.

She married M. Dean Baker, also from Rose Hill, KS, in February, 1947. Donna Belle was a homemaker and a career civil servant. As the young wife of a local Kansas minister, and later a U.S. Navy chaplain, she and the family relocated several times throughout their careers, including duty in Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland, Florida, California, and Japan. Donna Belle loved music. She was an accomplished singer, and did so as a soloist, in duets, and in church choirs. Donna Belle loved cooking, traveling, and being involved with the many activities of a minister/Navy chaplain’s wife and raising a family. Donna Belle lost Dean to Alzheimer’s. She remarried to Voyle E. Chance of Fowler, KS, in September, 2006.

Fowler is where she spent her remaining years. She is preceded in death by her parents, first husband, older brother and sister-in-law Dayle and Phyllis Showalter, older sister and brother-in-law Doris and Parkie Fasano, younger brother Dennis Showalter, granddaughter Jaclyn Baker and grandson Mark Baker. Donna Belle is survived by her second husband Voyle Chance, sister Dorothy (Jack) Wilks, son James (Carolyn) Baker, and son John (Tamra) Baker; 4 grandchildren Dean (Jeanne), Brian (Carolyn), Ryan, and Samuel Baker, 3 great grandchildren (Charles, Abigail, and Sophia Baker), numerous cousins, nieces and nephews, and the extended Voyle E. Chance family. Special thanks to the management and staff of the Fowler Residential Care for their dedicated and loving care of Donna Belle.

Visitation with family will be 5pm to 7pm, Monday August 29, 2016, at Fidler-Orme-Bachman Mortuary, Meade, KS, and 6pm to 8pm, Thursday, September 1, 2016, at Smith Family Mortuaries, Derby, KS. Funeral Service 10am, Friday, September 2, 2016, Rose Hill Friends Church, Rose Hill, KS. Internment at Rose Hill Friends Cemetery following funeral services.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be directed to the Rose Hill Friends Church and/or the Fowler Friends Church via Smith Family Mortuaries. Condolences and tributes may be expressed at www.smithfamilymortuaries.com.