Donna Colvill Crim

Donna (Spangler) Colvill Crim, 94, passed away on October 21, 2026 at Four Seasons Retirement Community in Columbus, Indiana. Born on December 19, 1931 in Alexandria, Indiana to Harold and Loreita (Buswell) Spangler, she spent most of her childhood and young adulthood in Anderson, Indiana. Donna graduated from Anderson High School in 1950 and Ball State Teachers’ College in 1954 with a degree in English and Business Education.
In high school, one of Donna’s primary activities was singing in several groups, which she continued at Ball State by joining the Concert Choir and later various church choirs. Her strong love of classical music continued through the years with regular attendance at the Indianapolis Symphony, Kokomo Morning Musicale, Kokomo Symphony, Columbus Symphony Orchestra, Columbus Indiana Philharmonic, and countless classical recitals.
Donna was always interested in teaching from the time she taught her sister to read while young children. After college, she and three equally-adventurous friends traveled to Denver, Colorado where they applied for and got teaching jobs after they arrived. Donna returned to Anderson to marry Donald Colvill in August 1955. She taught at Anderson Highland High School for two years before they started a family. In 1967, Don was transferred by General Motors to Paris, France, where Donna began the challenging task of running the family household in a Paris suburb at a time when very few people spoke English. She began her French studies at the Alliance Francaise, and after returning to the US in 1975, she attended Purdue for graduate classes in both French and linguistics. After her youngest child left for college, she acquired her Master’s degree in Teaching English as a Second Language from Ball State University. She then taught adult education classes at IU-Kokomo and ESL classes in her home in Kokomo, Indiana.
Donna was a sorority member of Pi Beta Phi at Ball State, a member of Psi Iota Xi in Anderson, and in both Kokomo and Columbus, where she moved in 2005, she belonged to P.E.O. She was a member of bridge clubs, book clubs, and church circles, and regularly served as her children’s room mother at the American School of Paris. Through the years, she was also a devoted and involved member of the United Methodist Church everywhere she resided, along with the interdenominational American Church of Paris.
Donna traveled with Don to all of the Western European countries, all 50 states, and Egypt, Kenya, Russia and Japan. In 1994, Don died after a marriage of 39 years. Five years later, she married Wilbur Crim who had also lived in France for a period of time. With Wil, Donna took a number of cruises, visiting multiple Mediterranean and Caribbean locations and several countries in Eastern Europe.
Donna is survived by her three children: Jeff Colvill (Karen) of Columbus IN, Terry Beale (Gary) of Chattanooga TN, and Laura Andrews (Rob) of Columbus IN. Her grandchildren include Steve Colvill (Sarah), Jenny Shores (Scott), Brendan Beale, Scott Beale, Holly Alpine (Will), Rachel Trupe (Tom), Tom Andrews, and Mary Jeanette Steele (Ethan). She also had five great-grandchildren: Ella, Sam and Josh Trupe, and Aria and Cora Steele. Other surviving family include her sister Dorothy Walker, and in-laws Becky Spangler, Nancy Treesh (Ron), and Linda Rice.
Donna was preceded in death by her first husband Donald Colvill, second husband Wilbur Crim, sister Janice Spangler, brother Delbert Spangler, brothers-in-law Ron Colvill, Travis Walker and Lowell Rice, and sisters-in-law Marianna Spangler and Lee Colvill.
A private burial for family will take place in Anderson, Indiana on Wednesday, October 28.
A Celebration of Life for all friends and family will be held on Saturday, November 28 at the First United Methodist Church in Columbus, Indiana. Visitation will be from 3:00-4:00, followed by the service at 4:00.