Donna M. Linley, 76, passed away Saturday, December 31, 2011 at Heartland Country Village, Black Earth. She was born January 5, 1935 in Madison, the daughter of the late Leo and Marie (Linley) Handel. She was united in marriage to William I. "Bill" Linley on June 5, 1954.

She was a member of St. Barnabas Catholic Church where she taught religious education for many years. Donna and her husband owned and operated a dairy products distributorship in the Mazomanie area for many years.


Survivors include her husband, Bill; six children, Dan (Brenda) Linley, Jackie (Steve) Reindl,
Tom (Sharon) Linley,
Julie (David) Mellum,
Marilyn (Bill) Zander and
Marie (Todd) Aeschlimann;
twenty-one grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; a brother, Mark (Connie) Handel; other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by a granddaughter, Brianna and a sister, Judy Schendel.


A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, January 4 at St. Barnabas Catholic Church, Mazomanie. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Friends may call from 4:00 until 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday at Hooverson Funeral Home and one hour prior to mass on Wednesday.


The family would like to thank Dr. Baskaya at the U.W. Hospital Neurological Dept., Heartland Country Village staff and Agrace Hospice for their wonderful care of Donna.


Memorials may be directed to Agrace Hospice or the American Brain Tumor Assoc.