Donna Elizabeth

Nethery

Donna Elizabeth Nethery, 63, of Denham Springs, Louisiana, passed away on September 28, 2026, surrounded by the love of the family to whom she had devoted so much of her life.Donna was born on January 24, 1963, the eldest child of Donal Andrew Milton and Jerry Nell Miles Milton. She grew up in the small town of Olla, Louisiana, in a home shaped by her father's optimism and her mother's extraordinary love and kindness. She shared that childhood with her sister, Mary, and her brother, John, forming bonds with her family that remained a constant throughout her life. Donna cherished her parents deeply and remained close to them through their later years.

In 1981, Donna married her high school sweetheart, Michael Owen Nethery. What began as young love grew into a lifelong partnership marked by tenderness, devotion, and unwavering faithfulness to one another. Their marriage was a quiet and constant example of enduring love, showing their children and grandchildren what it means to choose and cherish one another, year after year.

In the early 1990s, Donna and Mike made a life-changing decision to move their young family to Denham Springs, Louisiana, where they formed a new business partnership with Mike's brother, Jon Nethery, and his wife, Donna Hibbard Nethery. With small children at home and much still uncertain, it was a bold step, but Donna believed in her husband and wholeheartedly supported his ideas and goals. Through love, patience, loyalty, and hard work, the two couples built something lasting together, and their families prospered side by side.

Together, Donna and Mike raised two children, Tiffany and Michael, and family remained at the center of Donna's life. She poured herself into caring for her children and later found great joy in being a grandmother to Gavin and Mason. In her parents' later years, she returned that same devotion to them, caring for them with the tenderness and love they had given her from childhood.

Donna could be shy around new people, but with those closest to her she was talkative, expressive, and completely at ease. Her concern for her children and grandchildren was constant, especially when it came to their safety and well-being, and when something mattered deeply to her, she was determined and persistent about seeing it done right. That same caring nature extended to the animals in her life, and over the years she showed great affection for the pets that became part of the family.

Art was Donna's lifelong passion, evident from her earliest years. As a young woman, she learned to paint in oils and watercolors and continued creating throughout her life. Over time, her landscapes and floral works grew richer and more expressive, reflecting both the beauty she saw in the world and the experiences that shaped her. Her talent earned recognition in the art community, leading to public exhibitions and commissions for original paintings. Her legacy lives on in a body of work that carries the essence of her thoughts, feelings, and sense of beauty for generations to come.

Donna's appreciation for beauty extended beyond her art to the natural world. She loved traveling with Mike to experience mountains, deserts, forests, and rivers, finding wonder and inspiration in the landscapes they encountered. Her travels took her to nearly every state in the country and to the beaches of Hawaii, and she and a young Tiffany were graciously hosted by Mike's sister, Mary on a memorable trip to the majestic Swiss Alps. Throughout their years together, Mike supported her art and shared in her journeys, always beside her as she found peace and renewal in the places they visited. Donna was preceded in death by her mother, Jerry Nell Miles Milton, in 2017, and her father, Donal Andrew Milton, in 2025.

She is survived by her husband, Michael Owen Nethery; her daughter, Tiffany Paige Ross, and her husband, Jeremy Keith Ross; her son, Michael Andrew Nethery; her grandsons, Gavin Ross and Mason Ross; her sister, Mary K. M. Thompson; and her brother, John R. Milton.

Funeral services for Mrs. Nethery will be at 10:00 AM, Saturday, October 3, 2026, from the sanctuary of First Baptist Church in Olla. Interment will follow in the Old Bethel Cemetery at Clarks under direction of Riser & Son Funeral Home of Olla. Visitation will be on Friday, October 2, 2026, at the First Baptist Church in Olla from 4:00 PM until 8:00 PM.

Serving as pallbearers will be Gavin Ross, Mason Ross, Robbie Weaver, Sawyer Thompson, Jonathan Nethery, Hunter Nethery, Josh Holmes, and Dawson Nethery. Honorary pallbearers are Liam de Anda, Christian de Anda, Tucker Thompson, Jeromy Thompson, Dave Green, and Juan de Anda.