A journey of one’s life never ends at death, but it prevails through their memories left behind for all generations to continue them. So true about the legacy left by Pastor Doneta Lou Warren to all the world. She departed to be with her Savior at the age of ninety on February 6, 2025. Pastor Doneta will always be remembered for her contribution to the Kingdom of God as she has left the greatest legacy for all to see, the legacy of Jesus Christ, throughout her life.

Born the daughter of the late Mr. Harry & Mrs. Vivian McGue in Lima, Ohio on October 12, 1934, Doneta knew what it meant to live in poverty as she was raised during the time of the Great Depression. She was the eldest child of nine children: Harriet, Jan, Jean, David Allen (Al), Charles, Mike, Tom, &Scott. She took care of her siblings by feeding them with old coffee& bananas as her parents left them with her at an early age within their home. In later years, Doneta was able to lead several siblings to Jesus Christ as she set herself as an example of Him for them to see within her life.

On July 27, 1950, Doneta McGue married Edgar H. Warren as the result of a swimming suit malfunction at Schoonover Park. As the result of this swimming suit malfunction, they were happily married until his death in 1995 (married 45 years). They also brought several babies into this world, but only two survived, Deborah Louis & Mark Edgar. Deborah & Mark were their pride & joy as they raised them to put God first, love their family &country, &to respect & help their fellowmen within their communities, eventually leading their children to believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord & Savior.

Doneta, herself, became a Christian on September 20, 1954, when her mother, Vivian, insisted that she attend church with her. Vivian knew that her daughter was struggling with being a young wife and mother. She understood that Doneta needed more within her life. So, during the service, Doneta acknowledged that she was a sinner& needed the love of God. She even believed in her heart that Jesus died on the cross for her & He had been resurrected from the dead by God. With all this happening to her, Doneta then confessed with her mouth in prayer that she needed God’s forgiveness and His love, so she accepted Him as her Lord & Savior. At this point of transformation, Doneta realized that she had been lost, but now, she had been found; found by the one who had created her for His glory for all eternity.

Now, Doneta was a young Christian without knowing how to grow within her new faith. Most of all, she was not sure how to present her new faith to her family. So, God had led Cleona Arthur, a real estate broker, into her life. With Cleona’s help, Doneta was able to grow spiritually. Cleona would become her lifelong prayer partner, friend, & mentor until her death in 2013. She would also help Doneta face her inferiority complex as Doneta felt, in her own words “dumb”, because she never completed school. In fact, Doneta had only completed the eighth grade. However, Cleona helped and encouraged Doneta to get her real estate license. Eventually, the two would work together as a part of the “Belles for Business” group for several years within Cleona’s husband’s real estate business. Surely enough, Doneta would become a successful realtor, & in the end, Cleona’s husband, Art, would lead Doneta’s husband, Edgar, to Jesus.

As the years passed, Doneta grew stronger within her faith. However, she did not want to keep her Christian beliefs to herself, so she began ministering. She taught Bible studies within people’s homes & at the YMCA. She evangelized door-to-door& on the streets. She created one of the first homeless shelters in Lima for women & children called the “Samaritan House”. She even pastored, mentored, & counseled, along with Pastor Marc Curry at Living Waters and Pastor Scott Dove at Firm Foundation. Lastly, she created Global Missions Outreach after her retirement from Living Waters in 1997, so she could reach the world for her Savior.

In 1997, Pastor Doneta would embark onto the mission field for the first time as a missionary. Within years past, she would support & listen to the missionaries who visited her ministries. However, it was not enough. She had to go for herself. So, Pastor Doneta left her own native country with an effort to evangelize, minister, & teach within Nepal, India, & China, along with several of her grandchildren. She helped create, manage, & support Bible colleges, training centers, & other Christian programs within these countries even though she faced evil at its very worst, she was still victorious through Jesus Christ. She lovingly became known as “Grandma” to the people in the countries she visited, as she shared with them the knowledge of her Lord and Savior.

Now, we are at the end of her life’s journey, but what more can we say about this remarkable woman, except that Pastor Doneta definitely loved her Jesus with all her heart. I would say that to us we have lost a mother, a grandmother, a sister, & a friend, but to her, Pastor Doneta has received more than she, or we, shall ever imagine, her reward of being in His perfect presence. What more could anyone ask to have, but to kneel at His precious feet, & hear His words spoken in one’s ears “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord” (Matthew 25:21 KJV).

Grandma, though I say goodbye to you here on earth, I know that one day, we will say “hello” with open arms within the presence of our King because you decided to say “yes” to Jesus as your Lord & Savior so many years ago. In which, you chose not to keep it to yourself, but to share Him with me, so I could also accept Him as my Savior, too. I praise God for you. My journey here on earth still remains, but I will never forget our song together from Cristy Lane called “One Day at a Time”. It will always remind me that He will never leave nor forsake me because you taught & showed me that throughout your life, He remained faithful to the end.

Heaven cheers for you, my dear as our tears remain here on earth. But hope stands strong as faith pushes us along until we meet again at Heaven’s gates.

Pastor Doneta Warren is survived by her beautiful daughter, Deborah Dubé of Zanesville & her daughter-in-law, Nancy Johnson of Lima; her brother, Scott (Bonnie) McGue of Lima; her grandchildren, Jason Dubé, James (Karmu) Dubé, Miranda (John) Dubé-Jiang, Angela (Clyde) Kerby, Jonathon (Brendan) Dubé, Joshua (Justine) Dubé, Joy (Joe) Kerns, John (Lily Que) Warren, Tiffany (Eric) Steinmetz, Ashley (Lance) Dove; her twenty-four great-grandchildren & ten great-great-grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Edgar H. Warren; her son, Mark Warren, &her son-in-law, George Dubé; her sisters, Harriet, Jan, and Jean; her brothers Al, Charles, Mike, &Tom and one granddaughter, Angela Marie Dubé.

Celebration of life will be held on February 22, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. in the New Hope Christian Center located at 2240 Baty Rd., Lima, Ohio 45807. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to New Hope Christian Center in memory of Pastor Doneta Warren. Any calls pertaining to Pastor Doneta Warren & her ministry can be made to Pastor Clyde & Angela Kerby at 419-755-4932.

Funeral Home: Ohio Cremation & Memorial Society

Website: www.ohiocremation.org