Dr. Donna Summers McGrady, 91, of Crawfordsville passed away Oct. 13, 2023, at Whitlock Place in Crawfordsville.
Donna was born in Scott County, Illinois on July 11, 1932. She was the daughter of the late Harold and Ruby (Wallace) Summers. She was raised near Waverly, Illinois, graduating from Waverly High School in 1949. She received her B.S. degree in Home Economics from MacMurray College for Women in 1953. She attended graduate school at Michigan State University and earned an M.S. degree from Indiana State University. She received a PhD in education from Purdue University in 1983.
While attending Michigan State, Donna met Francis Guy McGrady of Rising Sun, Maryland. They were married in 1955 and divorced in 1984. Donna and Francis had five sons together: David Guy McGrady, Winona Lake, Indiana; Daniel Harold (Renee) McGrady, Hillsboro; Mark Ennis (Misty) McGrady, Hillsboro; Gary Michael (Tina) McGrady, Hillsboro; and Timothy Francis (Lori) McGrady, Hillsboro.
During the years when Donna was a stay-at-home mother, she served her community as a 4-H leader, Sunday school teacher, president of the Fountain County Extension Board, president of the Women’s Auxiliary to the Indiana Veterinary Medical Association and second vice president of the Women’s Auxiliary to the American Veterinary Medical Association.
In the mid-1970’s, Donna was Library/Media Specialist for Fountain Central High School. From 1980-1983, she was a Tippecanoe School Corporation Central Office Administrative Intern. During this time, she served as president of the Indiana Association for Educational Communications and Technology and as a member of the Board of Directors for the National Association for Educational Communications and Technology.
After receiving her doctorate from Purdue, Donna became the first Director of Instruction for the Logan-Hocking School District in Logan, Ohio. Donna was the recipient of the Rita Gullick Mental Health Award, Honorary FFA Chapter Award and a citation from the Ohio House of Representatives for outstanding leadership in the field of education followed by election to the Logan Educators Hall of Fame during her tenure with the Logan Schools.
Donna retired in 2000 and moved from Lancaster, Ohio to Waynetown, Indiana where she served three years as a Town Council member. She graduated from the Montgomery County Leadership Academy in 2003. She served as president of the Montgomery County Historical Society, Family Crisis Shelter and Montgomery County League of Women Voters. Donna was a member of the Hillsboro United Methodist Church, Stitch and Stir Home Extension Club and Hillsboro/Wallace Red Hats. She was an avid sports fan and enjoyed antiquing and flower gardening.
Donna was known as an expert on Gay Fad hand-decorated glassware. Her 20-year collection of Gay Fad was on display at the Ohio Glass Museum, Lancaster, Ohio in 2010. In 2011, Donna co-authored a 610-page, two-volume work entitled Gay Fad: Fran Taylor’s Extraordinary Legacy.
Surviving Donna are a sister, Ann (Don) Rawlings of Savoy, Illinois; brothers, Jim (Sharon) Summers of Freeport, Illinois and Larry (Karen) Summers of Waverly, Illinois; four of her sons; 16 grandchildren, Grant McGrady, Meghan McGrady, Krista McGrady Martin, Stephen McGrady, Michael McGrady, Meredith McGrady Simmons, Katherine McGrady, Taylor McGrady, Lincoln McGrady, Julie McGrady, Bailey McGrady Beasley, Audrey McGrady, Clayton McGrady, Clare McGrady, Cami McGrady and Cathleen McGrady; seven great-grandchildren; and three step-grandsons.
In addition to her parents, Donna was preceded in death by a son, Daniel McGrady, and a daughter-in-law, Susan Baldwin McGrady.
Friends may call from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 21 at the Hillsboro United Methodist Church, with a celebration of life service to follow at 5 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be considered to the Hillsboro United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 65, Hillsboro, IN 47949 or the Southeast Fountain Community Foundation, ATTN: the Daniel and Renee McGrady Family Fund or the Hillsboro/Cain Township Community Fund, P.O. Box 95, Veedersburg, IN 47987. Donations may also be made online at www.wicf-inc.org.
Condolences may be made online at www.mausfuneralhome.com.
