Donna J. “Mother” Pobanz, 72, of Geneseo, died Thursday, June 4, 2009, at Genesis Medical Center, East Campus, Davenport, Iowa. Visitation was held Monday, June 8 at Vandemore Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Geneseo. Cremation rites were accorded after the visitation. Private graveside services will be held at a later date. Memorials may be made to the Donna Pobanz Memorial Fund.

She was born Oct. 29, 1936, at home in Sweetland, Iowa, the daughter of Rudy and Dora Stender. She went to school in Muscatine, Iowa. She married J. Allen “Cookie” Pobanz on Sept. 27, 1958, in Davenport. In her earlier years she worked at Heinz and the Button Factory in Muscatine, Iowa. After moving to Geneseo she worked at Little’s Cleaners in Geneseo before driving a school bus for Pinks’ Bus Service for 20 years, where she also drove for many school sporting events and field trips. Besides raising three children of her own, she and her husband’s house was a place for many other kids to hang out and tell their troubles to if they felt they had no one else to talk to. It’s hard to guess how many other kids she  helped raise over the years. She was a member of Concordia Lutheran Church, Geneseo, Wrestling Boosters, and was a former member of the 40&8. She enjoyed sewing, cooking, crocheting, cross stitching and spending time with the granddaughters.

Survivors include her husband, J.Allen “Cookie” Pobanz; a son, Rick Pobanz of Geneseo; a daughter and spouse, Connie “Missy” and Kim McCubbin of Colona; a son, Dave “Charlie Brown” Pobanz of Geneseo; Beth Pobanz; three granddaughters, Emily Pobanz and Olivia and Tori McCubbin; a sister and spouse, Francis and Jim Thompson, and numerous nieces and nephews.