Donna J. Barnett

Donna J. Barnett, of Xenia, Ohio, passed away peacefully in Xenia on September 17, 2026. She was born on January 7, 1947, in Xenia, and her life was rooted in the community she called home.

Donna attended Xenia High School until she married in 1964, beginning a marriage that would span 63 years with her beloved husband, Phillip. Through the years, she embraced what was described as the toughest job of all: homemaker. She poured herself into her home and into the people she loved most, taking particular pride in her family, especially her grandchildren.

She will be remembered as a loving, kind, and generous woman with a stubborn streak, a great sense of humor, and the spirit of a big kid who never really grew up. Donna brought laughter wherever she went. She enjoyed bowling league, ceramics, camping, fishing, and woodworking with Phillip. She and Phillip also shared a playful love of friendly competition, especially in the costume contests they won year after year.

Some of the memories her family will treasure most are the ones that show Donna’s unforgettable sense of fun. She could be found walking around the bowling alley during league with a fart machine, keeping everyone laughing. In car washes, she was known to roll Phillip’s window down for a joke. Her creativity also shone through in the stool she made from jeans and tennis shoes, with the seat cleverly fashioned so you sat on the back of the jeans, a piece that earned first place at the county fair. These stories, full of mischief, imagination, and joy, reflect the warmth and laughter she gave so freely.

You could find Donna attending church on Sunday's with her family at First Pentecostal Church of Xenia.  

Above all, Donna’s life was centered on her family. In addition to her husband Phillip, she is survived by her children, Rodney (Carrie) Barnett, Tammy (Everett) Smallwood, and Carla (Ron) Graham, as well as her bonus son, Jordan Wood. She also leaves behind her cherished grandchildren, Stacie Barnett, Amy Barnett, Tony (Sameen) Barnett, Jerrad (Rachel) Smallwood, Jessica (Mike) Wilson, Collin (Kierstin) Graham, and Austin (Nataija) Graham as well as many great grandchildren.  She is also survived by her sisters, Myrtle Waggoner and Phyllis Cunningham. Each of them carries forward the love, humor, and happy memories Donna gave so generously.

She was preceded in death by her father, Clyde Barnett; her mother, Eliza Barnett; her brother, Gene Barnett; and her sister, Margaret Hartsock.

A celebration of Donna's life will be held soon, please check back for dates and times. 

In lieu of flowers please consider making a donation in Donna's memory to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital or to Ohio's Hospice of Dayton. 

Donna J. Barnett will be deeply missed and fondly remembered for her laughter, her loving heart, her playful spirit, and the deep devotion she had for her family. Her memory will live on in the stories shared, the smiles she inspired, and the many lives she touched. She was very loved and will be missed.

"Memory is a gift from God, that death cannot destroy" Hank Williams