Donna Jeanne (Arnold) Sinclair, a Cimarron, New Mexico resident, formerly of Neodesha, Kansas, passed away peacefully on June 29, 2025, at the home of her daughter, Jana Sinclair, with family by her side.
Jeanne was born on June 22, 1936, in Neodesha, at the home of her grandparents, Henry Jackson and Ida Mae Hibler. They resided at 202 Indiana Street, where Jeanne had been living for the past two years prior to her death.
She was the daughter of William Cecil and Bertha Mildred (Hibler) Arnold.
Jeanne grew up on a small 80-acre farm northeast of Neodesha, owned by her aunt and uncle, Alva (Jack) and Ella Johnson. She always worked hard on the family farm, whether caring for animals or helping with chores.
The family later moved west of Earlton, and then to Chanute, as Jeanne’s father, Cecil, was a chemist and director of operations for the wax plant there. Jeanne had two older brothers, Carl Arthur, who died when she was just a year old, and Billy Joe. She also had a younger sister, Patricia “Patti” Jane, who came along eight years later. Jeanne was very close to her siblings.
She loved the country, loved being outside, and loved animals — especially her horses. As a child, she adored her black-and-white pony named Diamond, whose perfect diamond- shaped marking on his forehead gave him his name. His coloring was symmetrical on both sides, and Jeanne loved him dearly—not least because he faithfully got her to school when she was young.
Though, she often let him graze along the way, which meant she consistently arrived late. The teacher at her country school gave out glass pencils to punctual students, but poor Jeanne never received one!
Jeanne moved ahead two grades in country school and graduated from high school early, in 1953, at the age of 16. Jeanne attended Chanute High School through her sophomore year, then transferred to Neodesha High School her junior year, living with her aunt and uncle, Ella and Jack, who had no children of their own.
She worked at the Klock Theater, selling tickets to moviegoers. The theater is now the location of Porter Drug Store.
Upon graduation, Jeanne went to work for the Neodesha Sun newspaper. This was her first step toward her dream of becoming a journalist. She attended Kansas State University for one year, then returned to Chanute to attend Chanute Junior College for her second year. By the fall of 1956, she was on her way to the University of Kansas to major in journalism. Along the way, she developed lifelong friendships, as her warm and friendly personality drew people in.
Jeanne left KU to be with the love of her life, Fred Sinclair, also from Chanute. They committed their lives to one another and married in Colorado Springs on July 1, 1960.
While Fred pursued his career and they moved about, Jeanne took various jobs to help support their young family.
Their daughter Jana was born in Denver in 1961. Their next daughter Jennifer was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in 1965. Jeanne stayed home while her children were young, then returned to work in 1971, after the family moved back to Kansas from Iowa.
She worked for a variety of companies, including: Cobalt Boats, The Contractor’s Engineer (Jerry Holiday), Bruce Borders Attorney at Law, Wilson County Hospital, Birdview Satellite Communications (Bud Ross), and then a special office in Neodesha for Birdview where she and Fred Forslund worked on advertising, and Neodesha Plastics.
She eventually joined SRS in Independence, where she worked until retiring at age 68. Jeanne also successfully sold Princess House Crystal and obtained her CNA license. Of course, Jeanne always worked on the Sinclair family farm as this was a never-ending task.
In 1973, following her father’s death, Jeanne’s mother gave her ownership of her father’s beloved quarter horse, Red. She adored this horse too and rode her often.
After retirement, Jeanne spent time in New Mexico with her daughter, helping Jana with her antique and retail business.
She loved riding horses, taking walks in the country on her Kansas farm, drinking coffee, antiquing, watching westerns, and spending time with her grandchildren and family. And, she never met a potato chip she didn’t like!
She was hardworking, loved everyone, and was loved by everyone. She would have given the shirt off her back to a stranger in need.
Jeanne was always moving, rarely sitting down. Soft-spoken and kind, she offered words of encouragement and support to many. She was a wonderful mother, grandmother and friend, and is greatly missed — her beautiful smile, her kind heart, her grace, and her beauty, both inside and out.
Jeanne is survived by her two daughters, Jana Lynne Sinclair of Cimarron, New Mexico, and Jennifer (Sinclair) Curt (husband Larry) of Neodesha; her grandchildren, Jessica Lynne Curt of Neodesha, Samuel Arthur Curt of Neodesha, and Cassidy Curt (wife Holly Santee) of Kansas City, Missouri; and her great-grandson, Sullivan Santee Curt. She is also survived by her sisterin- law, Terry Ann Sinclair of Overland Park, and her sister- in-law, Martha (McCune) Arnold of Boerne, Texas, along with numerous beloved nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Frederick J. Sinclair; her parents, William Cecil and Mildred Arnold; her brothers, Carl Arthur and Billy Joe Arnold; and her sister, Patricia Jane “Patti” Payne.
Cremation has taken place and a Celebration of Life is to be announced later.
“She rode through life with kindness, courage, and an open heart.”
