Donna J. (Stoner) Goodbrake

     Donna J. Goodbrake, 91 of Kearney, NE went to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ on Wednesday, December 15, 2021 at her home in Kearney. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, December 22, 2021 at the Events Center in Taylor, NE with Pastor Douglas DeNeui officiating. Interment will follow at the Taylor Cemetery. Visitation will be one hour before service. Memorials are suggested to the family or donor’s choice. The service will be livestreamed on the Higgins Funeral Home Facebook page. The direct link is http://facebook.com/Higgins-Funeral-Home-111005270563508.

     Donna Jean (Stoner) Goodbrake was born August 25, 1930 at Hutchinson, KS to Earl L. and Alice Marie (Ivins) Stoner. She grew up and attended school at Hutchinson and graduated from Hutchinson High School in 1949. On March 5, 1950 she married John E. Goodbrake, Jr. at Hutchinson. To this union 3 children were born; Janice M., Cynthia J. and John E. In her late 20’s, she accepted the Lord Jesus as her Savior. And one by one her family came to Him. From then on, her heart’s desire was to serve the Lord in her life and in her music.  Donna traveled throughout living in Ponce, Puerto Rico; New Iberia, LA; Aurora, IL; Taylor, NE and then settling in Kearney, NE.

     Donna loved to play the piano, practiced daily and was very accomplished. Because she played by note and ear, she could transpose music into any key desired.  She was the pianist at the churches she attended for over 75 years. She was a member of the Baptist Church. In the last years of her life when she could no longer walk or hear well and was losing her eye sight and could not play the piano any more she could always pray. She prayed for each one of her family and their friends and their situations. When she could no longer see to read her Bible, she listened to an electronic one every day and her love for the Lord only grew stronger. Donna was a beautiful wife and loving mother, Grandmother and Great Grandmother. She had a kind spirit and generous heart and was a blessing to all who knew her.

     Donna is survived by her children, Janice (Delmar L.) Unruh of Taylor, NE; John (Tammy) Goodbrake of Kearney, NE;11 grandchildren and 28 great grandchildren and sister-in-law, Penelope “Penny” Ann (Goodbrake) Howe of Georgetown, TX. Donna is preceded in death by her parents, husband, daughter, grandson and 3 brothers.

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