Obituary: Donna Marie Josephs
Her brilliant mind and fierce work ethic led to her well-deserved promotion to director of children’s services – a position she held with honor until her retirement.
Donna Marie Josephs, a deeply devoted mother, grandmother, sister and community leader, passed away July 23, 2026, leaving a legacy of love, hard work and unwavering dedication to her family and community.
Born in Detroit, Michigan on Oct. 11, 1945, Donna was the youngest of five children born to Charles and Mildred Fairlamb.
In January of 1963, she married the love of her life, Edward “Ed” Josephs. Together, they built a beautiful life centered on family, service and partnership. In the early 1970s, Donna and Ed moved their family to Baldwin, Michigan. Entrepreneurs at heart, they owned and operated the local Phillips 66 gas and service station, where Donna worked side-by-side with her husband.
Driven by a lifelong passion for learning and professional growth, she earned her associate degree in accounting from Ferris State University. Donna went on to serve as an administrative assistant at Grand Oaks Nursing Home for many years. Deeply invested in her community, she was also a charter member of the Baldwin Lioness Club-Lions International, always finding ways to give back alongside her husband.
In 1983, the family relocated to Hamilton, Ohio, where Donna had a distinguished, impactful career with Butler County Children’s Services. Starting as an assistant director, she dedicated her days to protecting and supporting vulnerable children. While working and selflessly caring for her beloved husband during his illness and surgeries. Donna achieved another incredible milestone, graduating cum laude with a MBA from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.
Her brilliant mind and fierce work ethic led to her well-deserved promotion to director of children’s services – a position she held with honor until her retirement. She continued her support of vulnerable children by donating monthly to St. Jude’s Children's Research.
Above all her professional accomplishments, Donna’s greatest joy was her family. She was a pillar of strength, taking care of her husband Ed for many years before he preceded her in death.
She was also preceded in death by her parents and her three loving brothers, Charles, Ralph and Donald Fairlamb. Her love, resilience and memory will be carried on by her family. She is survived by her loving sister, Frances Moore of Plymouth, Michigan; her nieces and nephews, her three children: Edward Josephs (Melissa) of Hamilton, Ohio; Juanita Weber-Josephs (Debbie) of Baldwin, Michigan; and Deanna Murphy (James) of Mineral Springs, Ohio. She is also survived by her cherished granddaughters, Donna Knight of Baldwin, Michigan, and Courtney Josephs (Christopher) of Dayton, Ohio; her grandsons, Brandon Spradling of Hamilton, Ohio, and Shane Spradling of Fairfield, Ohio; and her three precious great-grandchildren, Wyatt Robert, Oaklee Ann and Sawyer Jade who brought immense joy and light to her final years. Donna’s life was a testament to devotion – to her education, to her career in service of others, and most importantly, to the family she loved beyond measure. She will be profoundly missed and forever loved.
This obituary was originally published by Brown Dawson Flick Funeral Home.
