Donna Carol Johnson Grimsley

Donna Carol Johnson Grimsley, 84, of Little Rock, formerly of Springdale, died on June 16, 2022, after a heart-breaking period of rapid mental and physical decline due to vascular dementia. She has been released from her broken body and mind. She is alive and fully cognizant in heaven with her Savior, Jesus Christ.

Donna was born October 4, 1937 in New Mexico to Zeb Carl Johnson and Lillian Summers Johnson.  They returned to Arkansas when Donna and her sisters were small. She grew up on the family dairy farm in the Wedington Community.  All four sisters learned to play the piano and often sang together at church.  Donna graduated from Siloam Springs High School in 1954.

In 1955, Donna married Garland Morrison.  They had three daughters and one son. Donna was an active pastor’s wife at Baptist churches in Bigelow, Hot Springs, Fayetteville, Ozark and Jonesboro, where Garland served as pastor.  In 1975, they divorced. Donna and the children moved to Fayetteville to be closer to her parents and sisters.

She began work at the Allergy Clinic in Fayetteville.  She formed a great love with her doctors and work family.  She was a member of the Washington County Medical Assistants Association and served a term as President. 

Donna was an active member of Ridgeview Baptist Church.  She served as a Sunday School teacher, church bus worker, VBS leader and organist.  She was active in Christian Singles group. Donna had a heart for missions, and went on several mission trips including the Philippines, Korea, Russia, and Guatemala.

Donna, who was “Gran” to five, retired from the Allergy Clinic in Fayetteville when she married Roy Grimsley on May 1, 2000.  She became step-mother to Roy’s four adult children and Gran to his nine grandchildren.

After her marriage to Roy, Donna became an active member of Spring Creek Missionary Baptist Church near Cave Springs, where she played the organ.  She was also active in the Gideon’s Auxiliary and the local Hospital Auxiliary. While they were still physically able, Roy and Donna traveled to Alaska, Hawaii, Australia, China, Hong Kong, Israel, Ireland, and several other US states and countries.  Other loves were attending Razorback basketball and football games, cooking/baking and trying new recipes, and meeting up with her sisters for a planned activity or lunch.

Roy and Donna moved to assisted living in January 2021. Roy died on March 23, 2021. After Roy’s death, Donna moved to Little Rock to live closer to her daughter.

Donna is also predeceased by her parents, her sister Joyce Pike, and step-daughter Sherri Grimsley Sherwin.

Survivors include her four children: Deb Haddadi (Mahdi) of Maumelle; Susan Smith (Brad) of Middletown, IN; David Morrison (Jeri) of Fayetteville; and Connie Cartwright (Clay) of Tampa, FL; sisters, Loyce Goodrum (Dick) of Ft Smith and Helen Gregory (Leon) of Fayetteville; five grandchildren: Wesley Morrison, Elizabeth Sill (Gordon), Allison Behr (Duke), Adam Cartwright (Mandy), and Carly Gannom (Alex); and nine great-grandchildren.  She is also survived by three step-children: Karen Ward (Tommy) of Springdale; Leah Darling (David) of Conway; and Bryan Grimsley (Brenda) of College Station, TX; nine step-grandchildren: Sean Ward, Carrie Ward, Sarah Reid, Rachel Carpenter, Mitchell Tice, Stewart Tice, Mara George, Alyssa Donley and Reece Grimsley; and eight step-great-grandchildren.

Donna was much loved and will be greatly missed.  She will always be remembered for her beautiful smile that the dementia was not able to destroy.  It was Donna’s request that there be no funeral.  Her family would like to thank those who loved her throughout her lifetime and ask that you celebrate the memory of our mom and sister. She went to sleep and woke up in Paradise.