Donna Joan McCalmon Adamson

Donna Joan McCalmon Adamson passed away peacefully at home in Powell, Wyoming, early Monday morning, March 10, 2025, at the age of 90. She was born in her Grandma Heimer’s house in Powell, Wyoming, on May 29, 1934. Donna was the daughter of Paul McCalmon and Winnie Heimer McCalmon.

Donna was raised in Powell and grew up working alongside her family at The Coffee Cup Cafe and Paul’s Drive-In Theater. When she was 20 years old, she also did some modeling for J.C. Penney. Growing up, she loved dancing, collecting dolls, roller skating, and sewing.

She graduated with Powell High School’s 39th graduating class, the class of 1953. Following graduation, Donna took her love for dance and trained to become a dance teacher at the Hazel Mac School of Dance in Burlington, Iowa. After receiving her teaching degree, she traveled and danced professionally with the Williams and Lee Production.

On March 9, 1956, Donna married Mike (Myron) L. Adamson. They celebrated their 69th wedding anniversary the day before her passing. They were married in Arlington, Virginia, where Mike was serving in the Navy. Donna worked at the Pentagon as a civilian in addition to teaching ballroom dancing. After their time in Virginia, they moved back to Powell in 1957, where Donna started the Donna Mac Dance Studio. In 1958, she relocated her studio to Laramie, Wyoming, where Donna and Mike raised their two daughters, Sandy Dee and Teddy Ann. The family enjoyed water skiing and snowmobiling. Donna was also an active member of the Beta Sigma Phi Sorority. They enjoyed their time in Laramie for 30 years, after which they relocated in 1987 to Colorado Springs, Colorado, to be closer to their grown daughters. Donna again relocated her dance studio and continued to teach for another 13 years.

Donna humbled herself by saying she was just a dance teacher, however, she was much more than she ever gave herself credit for. She taught tap, jazz, acrobatics, and tumbling to countless students, from preschool-aged children to adults, spanning a total of 35 years. She produced and directed over 100 dance productions, including recitals, parade performances, off-site productions, and Stars of Tomorrow performances. These included her solely preparing all the stage and set designs, creating and teaching the choreography, emcee notes, stage lighting, and costume designs.

In 2003, Donna retired from teaching and sold her studio so that she and her husband could move one last time back to Powell, Wyoming, to care for her mother, Winnie, in her last years. Donna and Mike have continued to make Powell their home, enjoying it with their oldest daughter Sandy and her family.

Later in life, Donna enjoyed spending time with her daughters and grandchildren. She took up clog dancing, and she and Mike enjoyed square dancing and traveling in their motorhome to Nashville, Tennessee, and Branson, Missouri. She loved all types of entertainment with music and dance. She grew up admiring Shirley Temple and enjoyed her last years watching Dancing with the Stars.

Donna is survived by her husband, Mike (Myron) L. Adamson; daughters Sandy Dee McConnell (Paul) of Wyoming and Teddy Ann Starke (Gary) of California; five grandchildren: Michael McConnell (China), Jennifer McConnell (Justin Cock), Sierra Starke, Kyeanna Kennard (Sam), and Shawnee Starke; and six great-grandchildren: Kaylee McConnell, Brooklynn McConnell, Ashlynn McConnell, Alissa McConnell, Gabriel McConnell, and Georgia Kennard. She was preceded in death by her parents, Paul and Winnie McCalmon; half-brother Virgil McCalmon; half-sister Pauline McKinney; and several aunts, uncles, and cousins.

The family sincerely thanks the nurses and staff at Stillwater Hospice for their loving care of Donna over the past several months.

Donna’s ashes will be laid to rest at Crown Hill Cemetery in Powell later this summer.

Her husband is comforted knowing that she can now dance all over God’s Heaven.