LaDonna L. (Fosdick) Koster Chappell, age 92, left this earthly life on Sat., Dec. 2, 2017 at the Bethany Home, Lindsborg, KS. She was born on July 27, 1925 on a farm north of Miltonvale, KS in the Colfax Twp.
At a very early age, LaDonna, her mother, Laura Rowena Fosdick & grandmother, Lydia Ann Fosdick moved to the Limestone Community north of Miltonvale, KS where she grew up and graduated from the Limestone grade school. Her mother and grandmother had also attended this school. She graduated from Miltonvale Rural High School in 1943.
After graduation, she attended Kansas Wesleyan in Salina and received an Emergency Teaching Certificate. She taught school for 2 years, 8 miles south of Minneapolis and 1 year at Dist. 90, west of Miltonvale. Later she worked for Hallmark Cards in Topeka and the Santa Fe Railroad offices.
On Aug. 19, 1947, LaDonna was united in marriage to Rex Milton Koster in Oregon, MO after he came home from WWII. To this union was born three children; Ginger Rexine Koster Jensen Gage, Billy Ray Koster & Clo Ann Koster Collette.
Rex and LaDonna farmed south of Miltonvale for 25 years. In 1956, they bought their farm southwest of Miltonvale. Most of their farming years were with Rex’s dad, George Koster and his brother Ralph. LaDonna said she raised her kids at the end of the field rows as she moved them down the rows as she worked her way across the fields. She talked often about the stories Grandpa George Koster would tell her as they waited on the next truck load of wheat being filled to haul to the grainery.
After the death of LaDonna’s step-father, Ivan Francis in 1970, Rex took over the gravel truck business and they moved to Miltonvale. After the children were all married, LaDonna went to work for the same construction company Rex worked for as a flagger. She flagged traffic for 2 years until Rex’s health forced them to retire. LaDonna was one of the first women to work this job and was interviewed on the job.
After Rex passed away in 1978, LaDonna went to work in the Miltonvale schools as a cook’s helper and eventually as head cook.
In 1986, LaDonna was united in marriage to Clell Chappell of Belleville. After moving to Belleville, she helped him farm until Clell’s health failed and they sold the farm to move into town. After Clell’s death in 1999, she moved back to Miltonvale, where she lived with her mother Laura until her mother’s death in 2004.
LaDonna moved into the Miltonvale Manor across the street from her house in Miltonvale in 2006. After it closed in 2015, she moved to the Bethany Home in Lindsborg, where she lived out the rest of her life.
LaDonna loved the color red, shoes, dancing, a good joke and her children and not necessarily in that order! There was always a sparkle in her eye and her life’s passion was taking care of others. She was accident prone, but it never slowed her down. She sewed, painted, did chores, ran the tractor, gardened, canned and was always busy.
She is survived by her children; Ginger Gage (Ted), Dallas, Bill Koster (Ginny), Miltonvale & Clo Ann Collette (Jerry), Lindsborg; 7 grandchildren, Mark Jensen (Michelle), Hays, Jennifer Cox (Michael), Andale, Justina Gooden, Blue Springs, MO, Jordan Koster (Reba), Wamego, Joshua Collette (Shannon), Wichita, Jared Collette (Anne), Belleville & Joel Collette (Davina), El Dorado; 17 great grandchildren, Cameron Jensen, Gage & Madison Cox, Paxton & Brodix Gooden, Brantley Koster, Ashley, Emily, Mallory, Ian, Abbygail & Elika Collette, Matthew & Leo Collette & William, Sophie & Bennie Collette & her niece, Pat Johnson (Delbert), Courtland.
Funeral services will be 1:30 pm, Wed., Dec. 6, 2017 at the Miltonvale Christian Church, Miltonvale. Burial will follow at the Miltonvale Cemetery, Miltonvale, KS. Visitation will be 12-9 pm Tues., Dec. 5, 2017 at the Chaput-Buoy Funeral Home, Concordia and from 11 until the service time on Wed. at the church. The family suggests memorials to Bethany Home in care of the funeral home. For online condolences, please visit www.chaputbuoy.com.
By CRISTINA JANNEY
