Helen Gayle (Saddler) Donley

Helen Gayle "Perky" (Saddler) Donley, 73, of Columbia, MD, passed away peacefully on Friday, May 18, 2018 surrounded by her family. Born August 13, 1944 in Princeton, WV, she was the daughter of the late Joseph John and Mary Josephine "Josie" (White) Brookman and the biological daughter of the late Bernice Bliss Coleman and Helen May (Saunders) Hart. She grew up in Athens, WV and attended Athens High School. She married Carl Jennings Donley, Jr. on February 12, 1966 in Princeton, WV. She worked in the title industry for many years as a settlement processor and retired in 2007.

In addition to her foster and biological parents, she was preceded in death by four foster siblings, Harry Leon "Bill" "Tinker" Brookman, Coy Cecil "Tootie Bay" Brookman, Betty Mae (Brookman) (Akers) Hubbard, and Flora Elizabeth "Jack" (Brookman) Clemons; and one biological half-brother Elmo Landon Hubbard.

She is survived by her husband, Carl; two children, daughter Diana J. Donley and husband Kayvan Navidi of Elkridge, MD and son, Tony Lee Donley and wife Nirmala (Tenali) of Ellicott City, MD; three grandchildren, Rohan Spencer Donley, Ary Quinn Navidi and Colin Cooper Donley; and three biological half-siblings, Sylvia Sylvania (Saddler) Custer of Titusville, FL, James Allen Sadler, Sr. of Henderson, TN and Sharon Kay (Partch) Knight of Juliette, GA.

A graveside service will be held on Wednesday, May 23, 2018 at 1 PM at the Columbia Memorial Park, Clarksville, MD. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to a charity of your choice.

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