Donna Gillam Harrison, 78, of Madisonville, KY, passed away on Monday, March 20, 2023, at Baptist Health Deaconess in Madisonville after a short illness.

She was born on October 19, 1944, in Detroit, MI, to the late Frances Baker Schaefer and Donald Orange Gillam. She was a Murray State graduate and later got her master's degree there. She taught at the Madisonville Health School for nineteen years then transferred to the Kentucky State Police as a forensic serologist until her retirement in 2000. Donna enjoyed antiques and flowers. Her greatest joy was spending time with her family, extended family, and friends. She had her pilots license in her younger years and enjoyed that greatly.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her stepfather, William Joseph Schaefer III; and nephew, Scott Schaefer.

Survivors include her husband of fifty years, David Dixon Harrison of Madisonville; daughters, Kimberly Harrison of Madisonville and Melissa (Thaddeus) Dodds of Lexington, KY; brothers, Billy (Terri) Schaefer of Evansville, IN and Larry (Kim) Schaefer of Madisonville; nephews, Brent (Bonnie) Lowery of Russellville, KY and Jason Lowery of Jackson, TN; nieces, Elizabeth Anderson and Terra (Travis) Divine, both of Evansville, IN, Casandra Schaefer of Deltona, FL, and Sarah Schaefer of Glendale, AZ; and several great nieces and nephews.

A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday, March 24, 2023, in the chapel of Harris Funeral Home with Bro. Cary Pentecost officiating. Burial to follow at Concord Cemetery in White Plains, KY.

Visitation will be from 11 a.m. until the funeral hour on Friday at the funeral home.

Pallbearers are Billy Schaefer, Larry Schaefer, Thaddeus Dodds, Paul Dennis, Brent Lowery, and Jason Lowery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Donna's memory to the Hopkins County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 51, Madisonville, KY 42431, or to the Christian Food Bank of Hopkins County, 241 W. Center Street, Madisonville, KY 42431.