Donnie May Verhoeff, 83, of Collinsville, Okla., (formerly of Grinnell) passed away on April 26, 2023, in Tulsa, Okla., at St. John Medical Center after suffering a massive stroke. She was born on June 12, 1939, in Sallisaw, Okla. Her parents were Paul and Opal Regagnon. She had two brothers: Thomas Henry and Daniel Regagnon and three sisters: Peggy Doris (Peg) Hart, Paulette (Polly) Hettinger and Diana (Pooch) Beckley.
While in high school in Hays, she met her soul mate Sherman Verhoeff who was attending Hays Community College. They were married on Nov. 7, 1957, and moved to Grinnell where Sherman’s parents lived. They soon acquired their ranch in Grinnell where they farmed and raised Charolais cattle for over 40 years. Donnie and Sherman had two daughters while living in Grinnell, Debbora and Sharon. Both girls grew up on the farm and attended school in Grinnell. Debbora gave them two grandsons and Sharon gave them three grandsons and two granddaughters. She is also survived by nine great-grandchildren.
After many years of farm life, the couple retired to Grove, Okla., where they lived for about 10 years until 2008 when they moved to Collinsville, Okla., to be with Debbora and her son, Jake Allen. Donnie and Debbora opened a beading store in nearby Owasso and were there daily teaching and making beaded jewelry. She was active and living on her own for four years after Sherman's death.
Donnie is preceded in death by her parents, Paul and Opal Regagnon, her husband Sherman Verhoeff and her two brothers, Thomas Henry and Daniel Regagnon.
The funeral service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Kennedy-Koster Funeral Home, Oakley with James Beckley officiating. Burial will follow in Grinnell Township Cemetery. Visitation will be at 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 29 at the funeral home.
Memorials can be made to the Grinnell Township Cemetery Fund (for upkeep and maintenance) and may be sent in the care of Kennedy-Koster Funeral Home, P.O. Box 221, Oakley, KS 67748.
Sign the online guestbook at www.kennedykosterfh.com.