Carla “Gay” Hagan Donaldson died Thursday, March 6, 2025 at her home in Mexico, Missouri, looking out upon the Oaks Golf Course, per her wishes. This ended her courageous five-year battle against cancer. She was 79 years old.
Memorial Services will be held at 10:30 am Saturday, March 29, at Arnold Funeral Home in Mexico, Missouri, with Fr. Bill Debo officiating. Burial will be St. Brendan Cemetery following the service.
Visitation will be held from 4:30 – 6:30 pm on Friday March 28th, at Arnold Funeral home.
Carla-Gay was born on March 16, 1945, the daughter of Carl Walton and Marjorie (Liter) Keith, in Hannibal, Missouri. They lived on the historic Keith Family farm in rural Ralls County in a house her great-grandmother built that had neither electricity nor running water. The Keiths moved to Southern California in 1955 to be closer to her maternal grandparents and to create greater opportunities for Gay and her brother Jim.
Gay excelled academically, graduating in the top ten of her 1963 class at Lynwood High School where she was honored both as the “Typical Lady” and “Most Likely to Succeed”. After marrying Naval Officer Lt. John P. Fisher Jr., she settled in Montgomery City, Missouri and balanced teaching with further studies and graduation from the University of Missouri.
For a decade, Gay touched the lives of many as a dedicated teacher at Montgomery City Elementary School. She taught fourth grade and later first grade, instilling in her students a lifelong joy of reading. She also served as a Den Mother for the Cub Scouts.
In 1977, she and John Fisher purchased the Montgomery Standard and the Wellsville Optic News newspapers. John was Editor of the Standard while Gay helmed the Optic as Editor until her retirement in 2011, leaving an enduring impact on her community through her commitment to quality journalism.
In 1983, Gay married Tim Hagan of Mexico, Missouri, and became a Notre Dame Fighting Irish fan. A dedicated Rotarian, she served as president of the Montgomery County Rotary Club from 1996 – 1997.
She was a true lover of art and adventure, traveling widely with Tim and exploring museums across the country. After his passing, she journeyed to Belgium with her artist friend Marcel Salinas. She later accompanied her son on a memorable trip to Amsterdam where she admired the masterpieces of her favorite painter, Vincent Van Gogh.
Gay married Fred Donaldson in 2000, and they later purchased a home in Florida, becoming “snowbirds” in retirement.
When her son Vincent and his wife Mehrak welcomed their daughter Aryana in 2005, Gay began a tradition of bi-monthly flights to California which continued without fail throughout Aryana’s childhood. Gay loved to dote upon and sing the praises of Aryana.
Recently, she fulfilled a lifelong dream by taking a bucket list trip to Paris, France to celebrate Christmas with Vincent, Merhak and Aryana and visit iconic landmarks such as Notre Dame, the Louvre, and the Musée d’Orsay.
Gay is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Vincent and Mehrak Fisher of Piedmont, California; her granddaughter, Aryana Fisher, currently at the University of California, Berkeley; and her brother and sister-in-law, James Walton and Connie Keith of Frostproof, Florida; great-niece, Ashley Ritter of Fayette, Missouri; great-nephew, Zackary Ritter and his daughter Paisley of Kansas City, Missouri. Gay is also survived by her husband Fred Donaldson; stepdaughter and her husband, Missy and Warren Jones of Effingham Illinois, their daughters Addison and Avery; stepson Michael Donaldson of Tavares, Florida and his daughter Isabella Adkisson of Centralia, Missouri; and her stepchildren and their spouses, Chris Hagan of Indianapolis, Indiana; John and Janette Hagan of Columbia, Missouri; Elinor Hagan and Jason Lowe of Kansas City, Missouri; and Jeff Hagan of Rowland Park, Kansas.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Carl and Marjorie Keith; her beloved husband, Tim Hagan; and her niece, Marnie Ritter Keith.
Gay’s advice (given at weddings) was to “Keep things interesting and don’t be boring.” Her life was certainly interesting and never boring.
In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorial donations be made to the American Cancer Society. They may be sent in care of Arnold Funeral Home, 425 S. Jefferson, Mexico, MO 65265.
