Class of 1949
1949 Maroon Spotlight
Donna Rudolph
Home Room Secretary ’45-’49, Band ’44-’49; Y-Teens ’46-’48; National Junior Honor Society ’45-’46; National Senior Honor Society ’47-’48; Annual Follies ’47-’48; Junior Play ’47-’48; Office Staff ’45-’49; National Honor Society Treasurer ’47-’48.
1949 Graduation EditionPerry Daily Journal
– 17, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. H. L. Rudolph, 906 Fir avenue, was probably one of the busiest girls in her class during her high school years.
She has been on the honor roll two years and has lettered four consecutive years in the band on her flute. She says she has enjoyed American history and home economics best in high school and plans to major in home economics at Oklahoma A.& M. college in Stillwater next year.
Donna Ruth is worth associate advisor in the Order of Rainbow and has been homeroom secretary for fur years. She serves on the office staff at the high school and is a member of Zeta Chi and Y-Teens.
She attended schools at Hobart and Clinton before coming to Perry high where she has been in the cast for four plays. Donna will be 18 years old on Aug. 3.
Donnalee Ruth “Donna” (Rudolph) Hicks
August 3, 1931 – December 6, 2024
Donnalee “Donna” Rudolph Hicks passed away peacefully in her sleep at the age of 93, on December 6, 2024.
Born in in Hobart, Oklahoma on August3, 1931, she was the daughter of Harry Lee and Theresa Mae Smith Rudolph. The oldest of four children, she was raised in Perry. Following her graduation from Perry high school in 1949, she received her undergraduate degree from Oklahoma College for Women in Chickasha and did some graduate level work at Oklahoma State University and the University of Texas.
On June 7, 1950, she and fellow PHS alumnus, Billy Ray Mills, were married in Odessa, Texas, where they made their home. They were blessed with three children and divorced in 1962.
Her professional career began in 1966 with El Paso Natural Gas Products Co. and through various mergers, name changes and acquisitions, she retired with Merdian Oil, Inc. in 1994. Donna’s list of accomplishments and accolades during her 28-year career in accounting, tax accounting, professional development and management are numerous.
On August 24, 1966, she and Billy Don Hicks were married. To this union one son was born before their divorce in 1993.
Donna was a four-decade member of Beta Sigma Phi rising to the Exemplar Preceptor Xi Chapter as well as holding nearly every office in the sorority.
She was commissioned as a Stephen Minister in the Episcopal Church and had served on the vestry of St. John’s and St. Barnabas’ churches as well as the St. John’s School Board.
Preceding her in death were: her parents, Harry and Theresa; younger sister, Karen Moody; younger brother, Larry Rudolph; and her long-time companion, Jim Leonard.
She is survived by: four children, Jenny (Mills) and her husband Dale Welch, Jon Mills, Jerri (Mills) and her husband Matt Wells, and Bill and his wife Debi Hicks; grandchildren, Brian Welch, Ethan Spruiell, and William Hicks; great grandchildren, Trace Welch, Trinity Welch, Maybel Spruiell, Norah Spruiell, and Peyton Spruiell; brother-in-law, James; sister-in-law, Jane; their children and their grandchildren.
A special service will be held at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church on Saturday, December 14, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. to commemorate and celebrate her life. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch – 1-800-687-3722 or giving@calfarley.org or to St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, Odessa, Texas.