In Memory Of
Donna Jean Kniffen
1936
2023
Donna Jean Kniffen
February 10, 1936 — March 4, 2023
Donna was born to Dorabelle Stephenson and Roy J. Byerly on February 10, 1936 in Columbus, Ohio. At the age of 2 her mother passed away and she went to live with her aunt and uncle, Waldo Henry and Vaughan Byerly. They moved to Boston with Donna. At the age of 6 she returned to Columbus and lived with her grandparents, Roy J. Byerly and Grace L Murray.
She attended grade school at 5th Ave Elementary. She attended Everett Junior High and then Grandview Heights High School. By then her father had completed his time in the army and remarried. During her high school years Donna lived with her father, step mother, Virginia McCarty and her younger brother, Arden Eugene Byerly. While at Grandview Heights High School she became a member of Job's Daughters and served as Honored Queen.
She graduated from high school in 1954. Her stepmother, Virginia, was born in Kansas, where they visited often, and after graduation they moved there. While in Kansas she met Max Leroy Kniffen and they married. On September 30, 1956 Roy, her only son, was born. Later Donna and Max divorced and Donna and son Roy moved back to Columbus.
In Columbus Donna worked for several different colleges including The Ohio State University. She worked for many years at The Ohio State University in the student financial aid department. While there, she helped to write a lot of the regulations that they still use today to decide if a student qualifies for financial aid in college. While still employed at OSU she worked as a volunteer for "I Know I Can," a group that went to various high schools to help students apply for financial aid. She continued doing that for a few years after she retired. She was also a supervisor at the Ohio Student Loan Commission.
Donna loved to bake and cook. During her time at OSU she baked and sold pastries at a local sweet shop on Tamarack Circle in Columbus.
She joined Central Presbyterian Church in 1989. She was very active cooking for the church's Wednesday lunch program, "Sanctuary." She compiled a cookbook called "Sanctuary Recipes" which included many of the recipes she used for the lunch program. Among them was her meatloaf recipe which was a favorite of her close friends.
The year after Central Presbyterian closed she joined Faith Covenant Church. Donna is survived by her son Roy and niece, Diana Susan Swanson of Kansas.
She attended grade school at 5th Ave Elementary. She attended Everett Junior High and then Grandview Heights High School. By then her father had completed his time in the army and remarried. During her high school years Donna lived with her father, step mother, Virginia McCarty and her younger brother, Arden Eugene Byerly. While at Grandview Heights High School she became a member of Job's Daughters and served as Honored Queen.
She graduated from high school in 1954. Her stepmother, Virginia, was born in Kansas, where they visited often, and after graduation they moved there. While in Kansas she met Max Leroy Kniffen and they married. On September 30, 1956 Roy, her only son, was born. Later Donna and Max divorced and Donna and son Roy moved back to Columbus.
In Columbus Donna worked for several different colleges including The Ohio State University. She worked for many years at The Ohio State University in the student financial aid department. While there, she helped to write a lot of the regulations that they still use today to decide if a student qualifies for financial aid in college. While still employed at OSU she worked as a volunteer for "I Know I Can," a group that went to various high schools to help students apply for financial aid. She continued doing that for a few years after she retired. She was also a supervisor at the Ohio Student Loan Commission.
Donna loved to bake and cook. During her time at OSU she baked and sold pastries at a local sweet shop on Tamarack Circle in Columbus.
She joined Central Presbyterian Church in 1989. She was very active cooking for the church's Wednesday lunch program, "Sanctuary." She compiled a cookbook called "Sanctuary Recipes" which included many of the recipes she used for the lunch program. Among them was her meatloaf recipe which was a favorite of her close friends.
The year after Central Presbyterian closed she joined Faith Covenant Church. Donna is survived by her son Roy and niece, Diana Susan Swanson of Kansas.
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