John Winfield Donica, 88 of Republic, passed away peacefully on February 15, 2016 at home in the company of his loving family. He was born the eighth of nine children on August 3, 1927 to Amos and Charlotte "Lottie" (Lynch) Donica. On November 18, 1961 John was united in marriage to Rita M. Pfitzner, and to this union six children were born. He was a civil engineer for 30 years with the Frisco/Burlington Northern Railroad. Also a farmer, John will be remembered for his sense of humor, his charm & his love of football and crossword puzzles.

John is survived by his wife, Rita; daughters Mary Beth Donica (Carl Fichtenbaum) & their children, Walter & Adrienne Donica; Peggy Donica & her children, Nick (Jack Wright), Chloe, Madeleine & Clayton Lundgren; Colleen Donica & her daughter Olivia Jones; and Kathleen Donica; and one son, Charles "Chuck" Donica (Kim Crossland Donica) & their children Chastyn & Kolt Donica. One brother, Charles Amos Donica, survives, as well as numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

John is preceded in death by an infant son, Winfield, by his parents Amos & Lottie Donica, his sisters, Margaret Hatzfeld, Virginia Shreve, Sue Donica Mize & Betty Jo Johnson; his brothers, Bill Donica, Lester Donica and Robert Daniel Donica.

Visitation will be held at 5:30PM with a prayer service beginning at 7:00PM at Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home, Springfield, Missouri on Thursday, February 18, 2016. Funeral Mass will be held at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Springfield, MO on Friday, February 19, 2016 at­­­­­­­­­­­­ 10:00AM. Burial will be in Mount Calvary Cemetery at Verona, MO.

At John's request and in lieu of flowers, please make donations to either the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church Building Fund (Springfield, MO) or the St. Lawrence Catholic Elementary School (Monett, MO).