Donna J. Tynan

Donna Josephine Tynan, 85, of Shelbyville, IL, passed away at 8:37 a.m. Friday, March 14, 2025, in her residence.

Donna was born on June 20, 1939, at home in Shelbyville, IL, the daughter of John Robert and Delilah Mae (Foor) Tynan. Donna was always very close to her brothers, Robert and Jack. She is survived by her brother, Jack (Susan) Tynan of Shelbyville, IL and sister-in-law, Pauline Tynan of Maroa, IL; and special friend, Robert Beem of Bloomington, IN. She was predeceased by her parents and her brother, Robert.

She is also survived by many nieces and nephews, Larry (Theresa) Tynan of Maroa, IL, Leanne (Mike) Craft of Hawesville, KY, Laura Grider of Maroa, IL, Lance (Kristi) Tynan of Maroa, IL, Dianna (Tom) Furr of Shelbyville, IL, Debora (Brent) Fogleman of Shelbyville, IL and John (Patti) Tynan of Shelbyville, IL; fourteen great nieces and nephews; and eleven great great nieces and nephews.

Donna was a member of the Shelbyville Class of 1957 and served on the reunion committee after she retired and returned to Shelbyville. She earned her undergraduate degree from Illinois State (Normal) University in 1961 and her graduate degree in Education from the University of Illinois in 1971.

Her teaching experience began at Riverview Elementary School, Spring Bay, IL. After two years, she taught in the Department of Defense schools at Naha Elementary School, Naha Air Force Base, Naha, Okinawa for one year and then at Nellingen Elementary School, Nellingen Kaserne, Nellingen, Germany for the next two years. She returned to teach at Field Elementary School, Elmhurst, IL for the next twenty-seven years.

The three years teaching overseas gave Donna a “family” of ten special friends who have kept in touch through many visits and reunions since leaving Germany in 1966. They returned to homes nicely scattered around the United States, which made for many interesting trips for the friends. These locations included Virginia, South Carolina, Texas, Minnesota, Montana, Arizona, California, and of course, Illinois.

Those three years away also gave Donna an interest in traveling. She took advantage of her location near Stuttgart, Germany and enjoyed many weekend trips as well as longer ones during school vacations. She continued to travel after returning to teach in the United States and frequently took tours outside the country as well as doing some independent travel both in the United States and Europe. Donna considered several areas to be highlights of her travels; Great Wall of China; Bangkok temples and the Floating Market; Machu Picchu in Peru; St. Petersburg, Russia; Ayers Rock in Australia, the Bavarian Alps, and tulip fields in Holland. She enjoyed traveling to many places in the United States and visited forty-nine of the fifty states. She never got to North Dakota. In retirement, river cruises became her favorite way to see more of Europe. She enjoyed several summer and winter cruises on the Rhine, Danube, and Seine Rivers.

Donna helped organize many annual Lawrence Foor Family Dinners and was the one who would schedule luncheons with her good friends/classmates. She helped organize cousin lunches and dinners for both sides of her family. Donna was a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Shelbyville, IL. She will be missed by her family and her friends.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 3:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Shelbyville, IL with Father Pawel Augustyniak as celebrant. Visitation will be from 2:00-3:00 p.m. Wednesday in the church. Burial will be in Glenwood Cemetery, Shelbyville, IL. Memorials may be given to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation or Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Shelbyville, IL. Howe and Yockey Funeral Home in Shelbyville, IL is in charge of arrangements.