More expansion planned for Donna Reed museum

The 20th annual Donna Reed Festival for the Performing Arts was this week in the former Hollywood star’s hometown of Denison. With the festival coming to a close, organizers will continue with plans to expand the museum that opened last year. Gwen Ecklund is the executive director of the Donna Reed Foundation that’s in charge of the museum expansion. She says it is still in the works and the museum committee is still active. She says they took a big step last year by remodeling the Donna Reed office space and the front of it is where the museum will be. Ecklund says they have money to pay for the museum, which they hope will include lots of Reed memorabilia.She says they have a 10-year grant that’s funding it, so it will be a gradual procession of displays. Reed was 58 when she died in 1986 after a quick battle with pancreatic cancer. The festival, workshops and museum all came as a way to honor Reed’s passion for acting.