Donna Foote Stepp

Donna Jean Foote Stepp, 88, passed away at home surrounded by family on December 12, 2023. She was born September 3, 1935, in Topeka, Kansas to Edwin and Emma Foote. During her high school years, Donna was a cheerleader and loved to play the piano.

When Donna was 18 years old, she went on a double date with her sister Georgia Ann and Evan Ray where she met the love of her life Rufus Stepp Sr. After 6 months of dating, they married on March 5th, 1954. “A Foote took a Stepp” was displayed in the Ripley’s Believe It or No newspaper which she carried the laminated newspaper clip in her wallet everywhere she went and loved to show it off to people. Donna was a devoted wife and mother to 4 children. Donna and Rufus shared many laughs throughout their 70-year marriage. From bowling together on Friday nights in the Superstar League to square dancing in downtown Dallas at the Odd Fellow Hall and enjoyed dressing up in their elaborate costumes.

In her adult life, Donna was a research clerk, working in the First National Bank of Dallas and retired after 30 years in 1988. She took 2 years off, got bored, and went back to work at Southwest Corporate and worked another 15 years when she finally retired in 2005. Donna loved crocheting, enjoying making blankets for all the grandchildren and later, “no sew blankets” for her great grandbabies. She was so loving and just about cared for everyone. If you sat and talked to her for 10 mins you would have learned about the entire family and all the drama that came along with it. Donna had a big heart she treated others so kind, being the caregiver she was, she would never let you go hungry. She also had a touch of sass about her and would let you know by her famous eyeroll which will truly be missed.

Donna is preceded in death by her parents Edwin and Emma Foote, beloved husband Rufus Stepp, sister Georgia Anne Luckett, Brother-in-law Evan Ray Luckett, daughter-in-law’s Donna Stepp and Kim Stepp, grandchildren Shawna Cleere, Shaderia Stepp, and Crystal Henderson, Rebecca Stepp, and great-grandchildren Dillon Stepp and Evine Decker.

She leaves behind to cherish her memory children Rufus Lee Stepp Jr. (Connie Cleere), Larry Stepp, Charles Stepp (Sharon Stepp), and Leah Simpson; grandchildren Rufus Lee Stepp III, Nick Stepp, Jeff Stepp, Brandon Stepp, Natasha Ovalle (Michelle Ovalle), Destiny Turner (Nicholas Turner), Marissa Petronico (Michael Petronico), Jolene Taylor (Larry Taylor), Jeff Tatum, Rebecca Neal, Sarah Neal, Rachel Simpson, Aurora Simpson (Armando Navarro), John Simpson, and Jenny Rose Whiteshirt, 40 great- grandchildren, 14 great great-grandchildren and two on the way, and numerous extended family and friends.