LaDonna Lynn O’Brien, a Springfield medical practice executive for 40 years, passed away March 21, 2026, after a courageous battle with cancer. She was 71.

LaDonna was a founder of Ozark Anesthesia Associates, which has served the CoxHealth system since 1986. She was OAA’s administrator and vice president.

Born on January 7, 1955 in Springfield to Jesse David Mitchell and Alice Lucile (Malady) Mitchell, LaDonna was the eldest of five siblings. She shouldered family responsibilities from an early age after the death of her father and due to hospitalization of her mother.

Following graduation from Springfield Central High School in 1973, LaDonna began a series of office jobs at local businesses, and by the early 1980s was executive secretary to Neil Wortley, chief administrator for Lester E. Cox Medical Centers (today’s CoxHealth). When St. John’s Health Center (now Mercy) terminated a longstanding arrangement to share anesthesia services between the two hospitals, Cox was forced to contract with a Kansas City anesthesia group and LaDonna was assigned to oversee its business office here.

After about two years, the physicians and CRNAs installed by the Kansas City group sought LaDonna’s help to organize as an independent practice. Ozark Anesthesia Associates was incorporated in August of 1986, and LaDonna led OAA’s business and other administrative operations here ever since.

LaDonna enjoyed family activities and especially her role as grandmother. An avid baseball fan, she followed the St. Louis Cardinals since childhood, was a season ticketholder with the Springfield Cardinals, and she enthusiastically supported the Greenwood Lab School Blue Jays.

LaDonna had no opportunity to pursue a college degree immediately after high school, and had no professional need later. However, she fulfilled a personal goal by enrolling in night courses at Drury University in the early 2000s, earning a bachelor’s degree with summa cum laude honors in 2004, then a master’s degree in business administration in 2006.

LaDonna is survived by three sisters, Lesa Blythe (Rusty), LueCinda Vandenberg (Charie) and Linda Larsen; one brother, Paul Mitchell (Teresa); her daughter, Emily Krafve (Gus); her husband, Mike O’Brien; three grandsons, Carson Little, Coen Little and Viggo Krafve; nieces Allison Blythe, Laura Blythe, Mallory Lile (Mason), MacKenzie Larsen (fiancée Raygan Bradley) and Kendra Snow; and nephews Nick Vandenberg, Chris Mitchell and John Mitchell.

No funeral service is planned, but a gathering to celebrate LaDonna’s life will be announced later. Memorial contributions may be directed to youth and school baseball programs.

Cremation will be directed by Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home.