LaDonna Edwards

A memorial service for LaDonna Edwards, age 60, of Spirit Lake, will be held Thursday, March 16, 2017 at Turner Jenness Funeral Home Chapel in Spirit Lake at 1:30 PM. Internment will be at Lakeview Cemetery, Spirit Lake. LaDonna Rae Edwards was born December 27, 1956 to M. Marguerite (Watson) and Floyd E. Edwards of Spirit Lake. LaDonna was a very happy fourth child. She attended Spirit Lake Community Schools and graduated in 1975. LaDonna enjoyed school and playing on the basketball team in high school. She also wrote for the school paper Smoke Signals, learned photography and participated in debate. She was a member of DECA where she went to Des Moines to complete in events with 1140 other students; she took first place in two events, winning a trip to Florida. After graduation, she attended Iowa Lakes Community College majoring in Journalism and Photography. While there she interviewed Barbara Bush, the wife of President George Bush Sr. This interview was published in a local newspaper. LaDonna spent a year in Middleton, New Jersey as a nanny attempting to spread her wings elsewhere. While in New Jersey, LaDonna realized she didn't want to be that far from home and family. Upon her return to Spirit Lake, she worked for Mayer Studio as a photographer. Later LaDonna went to work at DE Spain Studios out of Milford. During her time at that studio, LaDonna traveled to grocery stores and took pictures of young children for several years. LaDonna never married but in 1989, she gave birth to a son, Ian. LaDonna raised him until he was nine years old before placing him for adoption due to health issues in 1995. She lived a short time in Sanborn and for several years in Mason City but always called Spirit Lake her home. She loved the town, her family, friends and the people there. LaDonna had a soft and generous heart and was always looking to help someone less fortunate than herself. LaDonna never lost her love of photography and most of the time you could find her with a camera in hand. LaDonna's other love was her family. She did have a man in her life named Larry Classon from Mason City and they spent thirty years together. LaDonna's health issues continued to plague her throughout her life. She departed this life on February 18, 2017 at her home in Spirit Lake at sixty years of age. She was preceded in death by both sets of grandparents, her father and mother and one nephew, Todd. Left to cherish her memory are three older brothers, Tom (Tootie) Edwards of Sioux City, Iowa, Willie (Sandy) Edwards of Menasha, Wisconsin and Bob Edwards of Spirit Lake; one younger sister, Leanne Smith of Lone Rock, Iowa; son, Ian Albee of Latimer, Iowa. LaDonna also leaves behind eight nieces and nephews as well as several great-nieces and great-nephews. LaDonna will always be loved and missed.