Donna Hainline - 11/29/25

We gather today to mourn the death of Donna Hainline, but even as we do so, we also want to remember and celebrate her life. In the Bible we find hope, even as we grieve today.

8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. 9 We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. (2 Corinthians 4:8-9, NLT)

This passage reminds us today that even as we grieve, the Lord is with us, and we do not grieve in our own strength. So, to that end, will you pray with me?

Our Heavenly Father, we thank you today for the life and legacy of Donna Hainline. We thank you for the impact she made on her family, friends, and nearly everyone with whom she interacted. As we say goodbye to her today, may we find comfort in remembering her life and in the promise of life beyond the grave. Grant us your strength as we grieve today. We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Donna Lou Hainline was born August 23, 1935 in Bushnell, Illinois, the daughter of Randall and Mildred (Doner) Paul. On May 15, 1955, she married Donald D. Hainline in Bushnell. He preceded her in death on May 17, 2009.

After her children were born, Donna first worked at the Blue Bell factory in Bushnell. She later worked in the showroom at Haeger Pottery in Macomb from which she retired. She was a member of the Sciota Rebekah Lodge and the Eastern Star. Donna enjoyed doing crossword puzzles, attending auctions, and collecting glassware and dolls.

She passed away on Monday, November 24th, 2025 at The Elms in Macomb, Illinois at the age of 90.

She was preceded in death by her parents and husband; two granddaughters; and one sister-in-law: Shirley Paul.

Survivors include three children: David (Peg) Hainline of Good Hope, Illinois; Denita (Steve) Clover of Dallas City, Illinois; and Delinda (Tim) Burke of Good Hope; five grandchildren: Jennifer (Andy) Percy, Jacqueline (Stephen) Eyler, Michael (Jeri) Burke, Nicholas (Laura) Burke, and Jessica Burke; five great grandchildren; and two brothers: George Paul of Bushnell and Lyle (Marty) Paul of DeKalb, Illinois.

SONG: In the Garden

Donna Hainline was a force to be reckoned with. She wasn’t someone who did things halfway. If she decided she was going to do something, she did it all the way.

This is something that was probably ingrained in her at an early age. She developed Polio as a child and spent a significant period of time at the Shriner’s Hospital. She received excellent care there, but she was faced with the many challenges associated with her disease. She was separated from her family (though her dad would travel to visit her each week), she had to compete with other children for the few simple pleasures they enjoyed, and she had to work hard to build up her strength and stamina and learn to adjust to some of her unique physical challenges. But it didn’t appear that any of those things made her bitter, she decided they would make her better.

Her time at Shriner’s helped her to make some lifelong friendships. Through the years, she would often get together with her “Shriner’s friends”, and they would spend hours sharing stories, memories, and updating each other on their lives.

As an adult, she threw herself into everything wholeheartedly. This was definitely true when it came to her children. She and Don made it a point to support the kids in whatever they did. They often didn’t take vacations as a family because they chose to dedicate their time to supporting the kids in their endeavors, whether that was 4H, band, sports, or other activities they did. She wanted to see the kids blossom into who they were and have fun doing it.

This was probably even more true once the grandkids came along. No longer were her children the most important thing—the grandchildren were! She was great with the grandkids, having many playdates and sleepovers through the years. She was patient with them and loved to do things with them. She took the time to teach Jennifer Chinese checkers, patiently explaining (and re-explaining) the rules so they could play together. She would even allow her house to be a bit cluttered so the kids would feel at home there. If the kids left a Woody doll under the couch, you could be sure it would still be there the next time they came over. She wanted them to feel like they could pick up playing right where they left off.

She enjoyed taking the grandkids back-to-school shopping each year, and loved buying everyone Christmas gifts. She made sure the girls had beautiful dolls and she got the boys Cabbage Patch Kids when they were popular. She’d have the kids help her with wrapping presents and making candy each year as well.

When the grandkids were old enough to play sports, she and Don made the rounds to as many sporting events as possible. They would often get there early so they could pull the car right up close to the field or track. When she got rid of her car, the kids discovered a notebook in which they had kept stats from each of these games. They just loved being there and supporting their family.

They would also almost always try to take everyone out for ice cream afterwards. Their preference was never to go to fast food or a chain restaurant, but if possible, to find a local mom-and-pop place they could go to. There were many sweet memories made with ice cream in hand.

Everyone in the family remembered that Donna always carried a big purse, and it always had anything you could possibly need in it. She’d have mints, medicine, tissues, and money (usually stashed in 7 or so different places in the purse). If you needed something, Donna was almost certainly sure to have it somewhere in her purse.

While she was dedicated to her family, Donna was also dedicated to her work. She worked at Blue Bell and then later at Haeger for many years. She loved her time at Haeger and became something of an expert on most anything they had made. She gave tours of the factory and ran the showroom in Macomb. I’m told that if you brought a piece of Haeger pottery to her (or something else they sold, like Hummel figurines), Donna could probably tell you all about it. She bonded with several of the workers at the Elms over this, especially Sarah, when she found out she had a collection of Haeger pottery.

Donna would work long hours, and would often work 10 days straight. Though it was hard for her to be on her feet that long, she really did seem to enjoy the work.

She also stayed busy at home. She and Don had a huge garden and she spent lots of time canning through the years. She loved to have a fully stocked pantry, and enjoyed being able to give canned vegetables to her children and their families. It was a simple way she could serve them and show her love for them.

She used to have two rows of rose bushes that ran along the drive. She loved roses and said her favorite was still the classic red rose. Even once she got to the Elms, she would ask if her one rose bush by the old school bell had any flowers on it. She had become quite adept at floral arrangements and was a master at making bows. She could whip out a beautiful looking bow faster than you could imagine, and passed that same skillset on to her children.

After Don died, she still liked to stay involved in the farm. Though she would have tenant farmers, she still liked to handle marketing her own crops. Every day, she would keep track of the grain prices to decide when she was going to sell. Everyone knew she watched the markets closely. Apparently once when she decided to sell, someone at the elevator remarked, “Well if Donna Hainline’s selling, we probably ought to as well!”

When she came to the Elms, she didn’t allow that to slow her down either. She was still going to do things all the way. She loved talking to people and made friends with most everyone. She participated in the vast majority of the activities they had there. She became quite adept at bingo, and loved to save her bingo bucks up throughout the year, because she knew there would be a Black Friday Sale, and she’d be able to purchase gifts for her kids and grandkids with them. She had always loved shopping and looking for good deals, and she loved that she was still able to do that even in the nursing home.

The family all remembered when she went through a stage where she couldn’t sleep and became hooked on watching poker after dark. She wasn’t a gambler but enjoyed watching it on TV and could tell you all about the different players and their playing style. It seemed out of character for her, but also didn’t, because when she did things, she did them all the way.

Even though she wasn’t able to get around the way she once could, she still liked to get outside every day, and as fall came, she liked to look for the deer that would often come near the building. She and Denita also went on many trips together, often traveling to see covered bridges, and she made it a point to go and see her grandkids and great grandkids as soon as possible after they were born.

Donna was full of life. She didn’t allow the challenges she faced to keep her from living life to the fullest. No matter her age, Donna Hainline was determined to live life with vigor and gusto. And that attitude was contagious and made a profound impact on everyone she touched.

SONG: Amazing Grace

We have talked a lot about Donna’s life and vitality today. We have mentioned that she loved her family and brought energy to every room she was in. But while those things remain fond memories, they don’t offer us much comfort as we say goodbye. Many approach the end of life with incredible emptiness, because they feel like the story is over and that there is no longer any hope.

Fortunately, the Bible promises us that the story isn’t over when we die. Jesus showed definitively that He has power over death when He rose again after being crucified. And not only did He rise from the dead, He promised that those who trust in Him will rise as well.

In John 11, Jesus said these words to his friend Martha after her brother had died,

25 Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. 26 Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?” (John 11:25-26, NLT)

Jesus promised that it was possible to live, even though you die. In other words, He promised eternal life—a life in Heaven that continues in eternity after our life on this earth comes to an end.

Many people are comforted by the notion of heaven, but they also don’t always view it accurately. Notice what Jesus said. He did not say that every person will experience eternal life. He said that everyone who lives and believes in Him would live, even though they died.

So what does that mean? It means that not everyone will experience eternal life. It is only those who have trusted in Jesus’ sacrifice, who believe that He died for our sins, rose again from the grave, and is the Lord whom we should submit our lives to will experience the eternal life He promised.

While I didn’t know Donna well, I believe she had this kind of faith. She desired to live for Jesus and I believe she had trusted Him for forgiveness. As such, it is my hope today that Donna is in heaven with her Savior.

Don’t misunderstand me. I do not believe Donna is in heaven because she was a good person. The Bible tells us that none of us is good enough to earn our way to heaven. Those who are hoping they’ve been good enough on their own merits will be disappointed to discover that God doesn’t grade on a curve. I believe Donna is in heaven today because she understood this fact and embraced Jesus as her savior.

As a result, she is more alive today than she has ever been. She has been delivered from all her physical ailments. She is no longer in pain, and she has been set free from the curse of sin that affects all of us. So today, we need not mourn for her. She has lost nothing and gained everything.

Nonetheless, we still grieve for our loss today. We grieve in the knowledge that there will be no more trips, no more sleepovers, no more laughter, and no more memories to be made. We grieve because we can no longer go to her and ask questions. We grieve for our loss, not for hers.

But we can grieve with the hope that is offered in Jesus. Jesus promises that all who trust in Him will live even though they die. That leaves us with a question we must each answer. It is the same question Jesus asked of his friend Martha: do you believe this?

This is something we must each answer for ourselves. You are not guaranteed heaven because of Donna’s faith, or because you are a member of a church or because your family believes. Ultimately we must each answer the question of whether we will trust in and embrace Jesus, or will we ignore Him. Those who have placed their faith in Christ can face death with confidence, whether that is the death of someone they love, or even their own death, because they know what lies ahead. It is my hope today that you will make sure of your faith in Christ, so you can grieve and live with the confidence that comes not from hoping you are good enough, but knowing that Jesus is.

As we conclude today, I want to draw some lessons from Donna’s life that will hopefully continue to resonate in your hearts in the days to come.

1. Setbacks are a part of life. Each of us faces a choice when things get tough. We can either get bitter or we can get better. Donna chose to get better—we should too.

2. If you’re going to do something, you might as well go all in—even if you’re not much of a poker player yourself. Give your all to whatever you do, because if it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well.

3. Often, it’s not the flashy things that will make the biggest impact on others, but the quiet consistency of love that helps people see how important they are to you.

4. If people matter to you, it’s important to make sure they know it. Tell them often and show it in the way you treat them.

5. It’s always a good time to have ice cream.

6. Getting older isn’t an option, but how you respond to it is. Choose to live with vigor, intentionality, and purpose for however long you’re here.

7. The world is full of people who are mean and self-centered. You’d be surprised at the difference you can make in people simply by being kind and choosing to listen.

8. If you are going to carry a purse, you might as well use it! You never know what you might need!

9. The question of what happens when you die is not merely an intellectual exercise. Ultimately, it informs everything we do. Decide where you stand with Jesus, because that will affect the way you view everything, including your death and the death of those you love.

10.If you live well, you’ll leave a legacy that continues to bear fruit in the people around you long after your life on this earth has ended.

Will you pray with me?

Dear Lord, we thank you for Donna Hainline. We thank you for the way she impacted so many and the way she continues to teach us even after she has died. Lord, today we ask for your help as we grieve. The loss we feel is real, but we pray you would temper it with the reality of life beyond the grave. Thank you for Jesus, for making it so we can face death with hope and confidence. Surround this family with the comfort and strength that comes from you alone. We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.