Donna Lou Nimie

Donna Lou Nimie, aged 84, passed from this earth on Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019 in her home in Fountain Hills. She was wrapped in the love of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and surrounded by her family. She lived her love of God through her lifelong faith and fellowship first in Salem Lutheran Church in Jacksonville, Ill. and later in Christ’s Church of Fountain Hills. She embodied love of family through her dedication to and companionship with her Mother and her grandchildren first in Illinois and then in Arizona.

Donna, daughter of Ralph and Lily Steele, was born on April 13, 1934 in Beardstown, Ill. She graduated from Jacksonville High School and married her high school sweetheart, William John Sabatini, in 1952. They were avid bowlers, enjoyed dancing and spent 31 years together before his untimely death in 1983.

She relocated to Fountain Hills in 1993 and found love again with Ted Nimie. They shared great happiness through their marriage in 1998 until his death in 2007. She loved her children (Michael and David), dogs (Trixie, Babe and Jake), walks around Fountain Lake, enjoyed teasing and a good laugh, relished trips to visit her Oklahoma family and enjoyed family trips to Disneyland.

Her favorite Bible passage was Psalm 23 which begins with “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want” and ends with “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

She was preceded in death by her brother, Wayne; father, Ralph; brother, Ralph; husband, Bill; mother, Lily and husband, Ted.

She is survived by sons Michael Sabatini (Wendy) of Fountain Hills, and David Sabatini (Frances) of Norman, Okla. She is also survived by grandchildren, Erica, Jennifer and Kayla Sabatini of Fountain Hills; Megan Lopez (Fredy) of Glendale, Ariz.; Caleb Sabatini (Kirbie) of Oklahoma City, Okla. and Peggy McDonald (Hunter) of Norman, Okla. Her great grandchildren are Roman Sabatini of Apache Junction, Ariz.; Juan Luis Contreras of Phoenix, Cameron, Maeson, Victor and Lily Fraley of Fountain Hills; Saharra Sabatini of Fountain Hills; Layla and Marcus Lopez of Glendale, Ariz. and Conrad Sabatini of Oklahoma City, Okla.

The family will host a memorial service at Christ’s Church of Fountain Hills at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 2. Donna will be buried with her late husband William John Sabatini in Jacksonville, Ill. Donations can be made to OU WaTER Center, St. Jude’s Hospital, Shriner’s Hospital or Doctors Without Borders.