Obituary of Donna Lea Besgrove

Donna L. Besgrove, age 90 longtime resident of the Iowa City area passed away peacefully in the company of her family on Saturday September 26, 2026.

Memorial services will be held at 11am Saturday, October 17, 2026, at Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service in Iowa City where there will be a time of visitation one hour prior to the services.  Inurnment will take place at Memory Gardens Cemetery.   In lieu of flowers memorial donations can be made in her memory to Compassus Hospice (5005 Bowling Street SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404)

Donna Lea Pearson was born February 11, 1936, in Allendorf, Iowa the daughter of Lee and Bessie (Wallace) Pearson.  She attended schools in Sibley, Iowa graduating from Sibley High School with the Class of 1954.  Donna married Garry Lee Besgrove on December 1, 1956, at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa.  The couple lived a brief time in Kansas City Kansas and Perry, Iowa before moving to Iowa City in 1960, where they have lived, working and raising their family. In high school Donna excelled in math and accounting, which led her to her career as a bookkeeper, first in the auditor’s office at the Osceola Courthouse, and then 24 years as office manager with Toyota of Iowa City.  After retirement, she volunteered at the University of Iowa Hospital gift shop for 17 years.  But nothing was more important and dear to her heart than her family.  She loved being Mom to her two boys, and later Grandma to her two grandchildren, and Great Grandma B to her 6 great-grandchildren, the joy of her life!

Her family includes her two sons, Billy and his wife, Debra (Trent) Besgrove; and Thomas and his husband, Craig Anderson; grandchildren, Travis Besgrove and his wife, Julie; and Jessica Mancilla and her husband, Anthony; six great-grandchildren, Mackenzie, Austin, Elleigh, Brady, Wyatt and Beckett; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Donna was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Garry; and 4 brothers and their wives, Delbert Pearson (Kay), Dwane Pearson (Lois), Doyle Pearson (Delores and Arlys) and Donald Pearson (Berniece).