Celebrant Pam Meily Vetter


	Celebrating Life Everyone Has A Story...

In 1924, Doniece Beryl McManus was born to Sarah and Bernard McManus in a Glendale hospital. She was the second born child in the family. Wylie was the oldest, followed by Doniece, Patricia, and Terry. Soon, she was known as Donnie.

She grew up during the Great Depression of the 1930’s. With the war years, the family participated in air raid practice sirens in Glendale. The family had to turn off every one of their house lights. They watched as all of the lights went out in Los Angeles and Burbank. Lockheed was always the last one to put their lights out.

Donnie had a good childhood as her family was close knit. Her father was a businessman at a credit bureau collection agency while her mother was a dedicated housewife. Her father built a house behind Forest Lawn in Glendale and it was a beautiful home. The family recorded many home movies in those years.

During her childhood, Donnie loved ice skating. In fact, the kids went ice skating every Friday night at the Polar Palace Ice Rink.

When she was 16 years old, she met Harlan Stephan at the ice palace. It was love at first sight. The couple started dating. Harlan was working for the Southern California Telephone Company at the time. On special days, he’d climb a telephone pole near her home, tap into the phone line and call her home. Donnie talked to him and then looked out of her window to see him waving. It was a wonderful courtship and romance.

On February 4, 1943, they were married in the McManus family home in Glendale. With war time, Harlan voluntarily enlisted in the United States Army, following a family tradition to support our country. Donnie was by his side as Harlan was sent to Stanford for Army Specialized Training. She got a job at an Almond company, working at the conveyor belt, sorting out bad almonds. Later, she quit the job when she got sick from the almond dust.

When Harlan was sent to overseas later in 1943, Donnie returned to Glendale to work at the Sound Equipment Corporation as a secretary. While Harlan was serving our country from 1943 to 1946, he corresponded with Donnie by mail. In fact, Donnie kept hundreds of letters Harlan wrote to her during that period of time. Harlan saw a lot of combat, including the horrors of Auschwitz, and Donnie’s letters kept his spirits up, allowing him to focus on his future and plans of a family.

One year after Harlan returned home, Donnie gave birth to their son, Gary, who was born in Los Angeles. In 1950, the family moved to Whittier and later to Downey where Gary had a wonderful, normal upbringing. Harlan helped start Little League in Downey. Donnie was a very supportive mother and attended all of his games.

In 1957, Donnie and Harlan adopted a second son, Lee. Donnie even got to watch his birth. The couple was thrilled. When Harlan started working for the Mutual Credit Bureau, Donnie helped out by doing the books for the credit service. They had a wonderful working relationship.

She was happy when Gary married Gayle in 1978. She helped to welcome her grandson, Tim, and decades later, a great-grandson, Thomas. Over the years, she spent a lot of time with her sister, Pat. In fact, they got their hair done every Friday and on the way home stopped at Polly’s Pies for lunch. Donnie Stephan used the same hairdresser, Sandy, for 46 years. Donnie was always devoted and loyal to those she loved and appreciated.

The hardest part of her life was losing those she loved, including her parents, three of her siblings, her husband, her son, Lee, and others. But, the best part of her life was her family.

Donnie Stephan will be remembered as a woman who loved to laugh, a woman with a quick wit who was elegant, yet hardheaded about some issues. She enjoyed watching the Angels baseball games and NASCAR races with her son, Gary. She also loved her baby, who was an 8-year-old Schnauzer named Heidi.

Donnie’s final words to her family were, "I’m happy. I’ve lived a long life. Don’t cry…smile. I want to see you smile." Donnie Stephan, we smile because of you…

Memorial donations are welcome in her name to Greyhound Pets of America at http://www.greyhoundpets.org/.