Donna Marie Geschwind

February 1, 1948 - May 10, 2020

Donna Marie Geschwind, 72, of Lee’s Summit, MO, passed away on May 10, 2020 at Wilshire at Lakewood Care Center in Lee’s Summit, MO surrounded by some of her loved ones after a nearly 3 year battle with Glioblastoma Brain Cancer. Born February 1, 1948, in Boston, Massachusetts, she was the daughter of the late Carl & Agnes Neff. She grew up in Kansas City, KS and later moved to Missouri, mostly in Lee’s Summit, MO to begin raising a family. After raising her own family and doing in-home daycare as her primary occupation for 25+ years, she continued to touch many lives all over Missouri and Kansas. She spent her life in service to her Christian faith and formed many special bonds with people of all ages. Donna always believed that was God’s purpose for her life here on Earth. She loved spending time at church volunteering in the daycare, going on mission trips with friends, and working with the youth at church mentoring them like they were her own grandkids. She loved to bake, especially brownies! When she wasn’t delivering them to local businesses and neighbors, she was dropping some by to the grandkids as a special treat or would just invite them over to help her bake them. She enjoyed attending Christian concerts like the Newsboys and Casting Crowns with her sisters & granddaughters. You would often see her at musicals, plays or a variety of performances of many young talented performers that she supported throughout her community. There wasn’t an invitation that she would pass up if she could help it, even if it meant she was at more than one an evening or would have to leave at intermission to go catch another performance in order to get them all in. Donna was a huge sports fan. It’s hard to say who was her favorite team between KC Royals or KC Chiefs but when she wasn’t sitting in front of the television to watch those two teams you could find her watching her grandkids Mason, Madison, and Brookelyn playing their sports at almost every game possible. And when she wasn’t at their games she was out watching and supporting all the other kids she babysat and watched over the years and who also called her “Grandma Donna”. While her 3 youngest grandkids Abigail, Caroline & George didn’t play sports just yet, she loved how funny and crazy they were to play and hang out with. She always had sets of Disney and Fisher Price toys on hand for all the grandkids to play with no matter what age. She will always be remembered as a loving mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend. She is survived by son Eric Geschwind (Michelle) of Lee’s Summit, MO, daughters Dana Elevier of Independence, MO and Rachel Chantos (Austin) of Blue Springs, MO; 6 grandchildren - Mason Elevier (22), Madison Geschwind (17), Brookelyn Geschwind (14), Abigail Chantos (5), Caroline Chantos (2) & George Chantos (1). She is also survived by 7 siblings - Bruce Neff (Marge) of Oregon, Tom Neff (Linda) of Kansas, Carleen Curry (Mike) of Missouri, Paul Neff (Julie) of Washington, Tim Neff (Mary) of Ohio, Elaine Guertin (Mike) of Kansas, Michael Neff (Penny) of Kansas and by 13 nieces and nephews. Donna also leaves behind countless friends whose lives she has touched over the years. She is preceded in death by her parents, Carl and Agnes Neff and her brother Ronnie Neff. The family plans to have a Celebration of Life in her honor when all that would want to attend will be able to so please follow Reflections Memorial Services website for those details. In lieu of flowers, a scholarship fund is being established in Donna’s name so that we may carry on her service in faith/charity and do what she loved doing - sending individuals to church camps or mission trips, adopting a family at Christmas, etc. Scholarship donations can be sent to: FBO Donna Geschwind Scholarship Fund ℅ Pinnacle Bank PO Box 6650 Lee’s Summit, MO 64064 Attn: Eric Geschwind