Donna J. Snell

Donna Jean Snell, age 86, of Royal Oak, passed away on April 7, 2026. Donna was born on May 28, 1939, in Detroit, Michigan to Walter and Alma Bellhorn. She was raised in Detroit, where her lifelong faith, love of learning, and dedication to service first took root. Donna attended Concordia University in River Forest, Illinois, where she earned her teaching certificate. Education and ministry were central to her life from an early age. Her parents operated the Lutheran School of the Deaf, and Donna was deeply involved in its mission. She developed a lasting passion for sign language and the community it served, carrying that commitment throughout her life. She began her career as a teacher, spending nearly a decade nurturing young learners at Trinity Lutheran School in Mt. Clemens, where she taught kindergarten. Later, she transitioned into accounting and worked for 20 years at Ameritech. Donna's faith was the cornerstone of her life. Coming from a family that included many Lutheran pastors, she was a lifelong and devoted Lutheran who lived her beliefs daily. As she often demonstrated alongside her family, "if the church doors were open, the Bellhorns were there." Since 1968, she was a dedicated member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Royal Oak, where she faithfully participated in worship and church life. Music brought Donna great joy. She loved singing in choirs and was an accomplished musician, playing piano, organ, and handbells. Her love of music was both a personal passion and an expression of her faith. Donna also found happiness in life's simple pleasures. She was an avid reader who delighted in browsing used bookstores. She had a fondness for chocolate, potato chips, and cookies, and she treasured long phone conversations and email exchanges with her cousins, keeping close ties with her extended family. In the early 1960s, Donna met the love of her life, Edward. The two were married in 1964 and shared a beautiful and devoted 50-year marriage filled with travel and companionship. They especially enjoyed taking cruises together. Edward passed away on the day of their 50th wedding anniversary, marking both a poignant and meaningful milestone in Donna's life. Family was deeply important to Donna. She cherished time with her great-grandchildren, always eager to listen to their stories and share in their lives. Donna will be remembered for her steadfast faith, her love of music and learning, her devotion to family, and her warm, faithful presence in the lives of all who knew her. Donna is survived by her son, Steven (the late Barbara) Snell; her grandchildren, Benjamin (Susan) Jasmund, Tebeth Snell, and Timothy (Melissa) Snell; and her great-grandchildren, Jacob Jasmund, Lukas Snell, and Hannah Snell. She is also survived by her sister, Janice (Daniel) Fienen. She was preceded in death by her husband, Edward and her brothers, Roy (Margaret) Bellhorn and Dean (Sue) Bellhorn. Visitation for Donna will be held on Sunday, April 12, from 2 - 8 p.m. at Wm. Sullivan & Son Funeral Directors, 705 W. Eleven Mile Rd. (four blocks east of Woodward), Royal Oak. The funeral service for Donna will be held on Monday, April 13 at 11:00 a.m. (in-state 10:00 a.m.) at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 202 E. Fifth Street, Royal Oak. Memorial contributions in memory of Donna can be directed to the Music Ministry at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Royal Oak. Share a memory at www.SullivanFuneralDirectors.com.

Donna J. Snell

May 28, 1939 - April 7, 2026