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From Cleveland.com:
Marcia Donley Obituary
Marcia Donley, 78, of Fayetteville, Arkansas, passed away on August 15, 2025. Born June 24, 1947, in Cleveland Ohio, she was the daughter of Eleanor Lowe and William MacLeish Donley, (both deceased). She is survived by her sister Nancy Donley (Jim Newman), and many friends and colleagues.
Marcia grew up in Cleveland Heights, graduated from Cleveland Heights High School, attended Bucknell University and earned degrees in Cultural Anthropology and Geology from Ohio University. She received her Master's Degree in Horticulture from the University of Arkansas.
In the 1970's she moved to Northwest Arkansas, purchasing a farm with her sister near the Buffalo River. In the 1980s, she moved to Fayetteville to continue her education. Her passion for historic preservation kept her busy buying and restoring old homes.
Marcia was also a tireless volunteer and advocate for animals. In 2010, she founded Spay Arkansas, a low-cost spay/neuter clinic. In 2017, she established the NWA Community Cat Project, an organization dedicated to reducing pet overpopulation and improving the quality of life for animals and their caretakers across the state.
Like the many dreamers and seekers of her generation, Marcia found meaning in the land, in community, and in her compassionate work to heal and protect.
Memorial contributions may be made to NWA Community Cat Project at https://www.arcf.org/mdonley.
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Lee Ellen Glass
I didn’t have the privilege of knowing Marcia, but it’s clear she lived a remarkable life. In the end, what matters most is the positive impact we leave on others, and it seems she truly did just that. May her memory be a blessing.
Janet Karner (Lloyd)
Marcia was one of my best friends, not only at Roxboro, but at Heights also. We, along with several other girls, belonged to Girl Scout Troop 1096. Our troop was very active during our school years, and we kept in touch throughout our lives by having a four-day reunion in the Cleveland area every other year, up until a very few years ago. Marcia was truly a caring and wonderful person. She devoted her life to caring for animals as well as people. If anyone deserved to live to be a hundred, it was her. But it was not to be. Her passing is a huge loss for her family, community and friends. Rest easy, my friend.
Rodger Chapman
Marcia and I were classmates at Fairfax Elementary. Maybe Miss Hyde or Miss Havelcheck was teacher. She, Meridith Rudder and I were tallest in class. Picture day placed us in the back row, side by side. I remember she was quiet, and very smart. That continued at Roxboro and Heights. Her legacy will live on with the projects she was involved in during her life. May she rest in peace.
Rodger Chapman
Jim Becker
Fairfax, Roxboro, Heights, Marcia was always there, making a positive difference. It's no surprise her life was devoted to making the world a better place. Her passing is a real loss.
Joel Eigen
Although it's always sad to read of a classmate's death, this news really hit me. I haven't seen her since the '60s but her presence is just so vivid. There are some people that evoke your smile merely by seeing them. She was such a joyful soul - kind, bubbly, thoughtful. I saw her once at O.U. when she was visiting her great friend Nancy Barnes - also a regrettalbe loss - and she was her old self; the two of us just fell into a laughing fit. The world is a much less joyful place without Marcia Donley. She will be missed greatly.