Donna Jean Poppe

Donna Jean Poppe, 68, of Indianapolis, passed peacefully in her home on August 2, 2024 after a hard-fought battle with metastatic breast cancer. She was born February 17, 1956 in Leavenworth, Kansas to the late Eugene and Dorothy (Jons) Poggemeyer. She married Dennis L. Poppe on February 28, 1981 in Overland Park, Kansas. Donna is survived by her husband, Dennis Poppe; children, Jon Poppe (Christina), Col. Carl Poppe (Sarah), Lisa Adams (Dustin), and Ryan Poppe (Brooke Stoetzel; grandchildren, Sydney Poppe, Keaton Poppe, Grant Poppe, Vaughn Poppe, Deacon Adams and Evelyn Adams; and three sisters, Joyce McMillen (Joe), Mary Hurla (Bob), and Karen Poggemeyer. Donna was a graduate of Basehor High School in Basehor, Kansas and attended Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Missouri. Early in her career, Donna worked for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and then United Telecom/Sprint, with her last position as Director of Shareholder Relations. When her children were young, Donna chose to stay at home to raise them full-time. She became involved in numerous school and extracurricular volunteer activities, including the Jabberwocky Theater Group, performing for elementary schools throughout the Olathe, Kansas area, and the Olathe Junior Service League. After Dennis’ job took the family to Indianapolis in 1999, Donna was able to fulfill her lifelong dream of working with children as a preschool teacher at Holy Cross Lutheran Church. Later in her career, she worked at various financial institutions and retail locations in the Indianapolis area. Finally in 2018 – in true fashion with her great sense of humor – she told Dennis that work was interfering with her social life and travel, so she decided to retire and spend more time with family. Donna had a certain essence about her, and exuded a compassionate and caring approach with anyone she encountered. She loved her family deeply and made every holiday and birthday extra special. Donna was also very committed to her faith. She embraced a transition to Catholicism later in life that brought her to Holy Spirit Geist Catholic Church, where she spent many wonderful years volunteering with her time and talent. A memorial visitation will be held Friday, August 16, 2024 from 9:00 a.m. until the time of mass at 11:00 a.m. at Holy Spirit at Geist Catholic Church, 10350 Glaser Way, Fishers, IN 46037. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the American Cancer Society for breast cancer research online at https://www.cancer.org/ Final care and arrangements are entrusted to Shirley Brothers Fishers-Castleton Chapel.

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Donna Jean Poppe

February 17, 1956 - August 2, 2024