Donna Jo Jones was born November 29th, 1943 to Don and Josephine Jones in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and died surrounded by family on February 20, 2017 at Springfield, Missouri.

Donna spent her life serving others. She earned a Ph.D. in Sociology from The University of Missouri in Columbia. She taught Community Medicine to physicians in St. Louis and was instrumental in starting a daycare center for teenage parents at Vashon High School. After moving to Springfield in 1984, she did fundraising for The March of Dimes, Council of Churches, Victory Mission and American Red Cross. Donna taught in the Sociology/Anthropology Departments at Missouri State University and Drury University. She was one of the originators of The Parents as Teachers program and suggested the concept for The Discovery Center to the Junior Chamber of Commerce after seeing a similar program in Wichita. She was the Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity in Springfield.

In her church, South Street Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), she was an Elder Emeritus, a member of the Rachel Circle, and sang in the choir with her father, Donald Jones. She belonged to Church Women United, and was president of Ozark Lakes Area Christian Women's Fellowship. She was also active in The League of Women Voters, Executive Women's Club, Rotary, and Queen City Sertoma Club. The Springfield Business Journal named her one of the 20 most influential women in 2004.

Donna and her husband, Dennis Rutledge, were married in 1984. Together they participated in numerous mission trips including Belize, Oklahoma, and Honduras. They attended a Habitat for Humanity build in South Dakota with former President Jimmy Carter.

She loved traveling and having adventures with Dennis, spending time with friends and family, listening to jazz, canoeing, cross country skiing and attending garden tours with her friends.  She was a person who loved life, loved her family, loved her friends and was loved by them.

Donna is preceded in death by her parents, Don and Josephine Jones, and an older brother Gary Jones (Carol, living) of Glendale, AZ. She is survived by her husband, Dennis Rutledge of Springfield and three step daughters, Loretta (Jeff) Adams, Deborah (Scott) Lee, and Pamela (Robert) Neal, and 6 grandchildren. She also is survived by her younger brother, Byron Jones (Donny) of Prairie Village, KS, two nieces and one nephew in the Kansas City area, as well as four great nieces and nephews.

A celebration of Donna's life will be held on Saturday, February 25, at 11:00 a.m. at South Street Christian Church, 500 South Avenue, Springfield. Memorial gifts may be given to Habitat for Humanity, 2410 S. Scenic Avenue, Springfield, MO 65807 (attention: Brandi). Online condolences may be made at www.gormanscharpf.com.