And maybe... 'Forever' was a word meant for memories, not people.
Tribute
The world may have lost the most beautiful Soul to have touched our lives here on earth but Heaven however, could not have asked for a more kind, generous, selfless & loving Angel to watch over all of us. It's with great heartache knowing that Donna passed away unexpectedly on the early morning of February 25th, 2024 in Langley BC. She is survived by her loving husband & forever soulmate Dave, her daughter Stacee (Kris), her son Michael (Cheryl), & her grandchildren Sullivan, Finnick, Aria & Quinn. She was predeceased by her parents Jim & Helen Starner as well as an older brother Larry, close cousin Jeanine, niece Sarah & nephew Jeremy. She will be immensely missed by all her close family members & friends for eternity.
Donna was born & raised in Lethbridge January 8th, 1957, the 5th of 7 children. Once she graduated in 1975, she moved to Calgary starting her career working at the Foothills Hospital (1976-2006) working in multiple areas where she touched many lives along the way with her caring & loving heart. She met Dave in May 1976 & shortly thereafter they were married in Sept 1977.
She always knew she wanted a family & was beyond thrilled to welcome her daughter Stacee in 1978 while living in Mission, BC & her son Michael in 1981 once they eventually moved back to Calgary, AB. Her greatest wish was then granted when she became a grandma for the first time with the birth of Sullivan in 2011, followed by Finnick in 2016 & Aria in 2017. Grand-daughter Quinn officially joining the family in 2016 was also an added bonus.
Donna truly was an amazing woman...
She was a social butterfly, loving to visit with family & friends every chance she got. She was the type of person to call you up randomly just to see how your day was or the one to strike up a random friendly conversation with a stranger just to say 'Hi'. She loved being surrounded by those she loved.
She was a water-bug, whether it was in the Ocean on her various trips to Hawaii, Dominican & Mexico or the Lakes in AB & BC (Christina Lake, Mara Lake, Park Lake, Sylvan, Monty Lake, etc.). She also enjoyed taking her granddaughter Aria to the local swimming pool to play in the Lazy River with Dave. By far her favorite place however, as we all knew & loved her for, was her very own bathtub at home. Who didn't catch her in the tub when you called her to catch up, or where she would be when she called you!
She loved to travel & explore...Multiple trips to Hawaii & Mexico with the family, Cruise to Eastern Carribean with Dave & Ron/Natalie Bachmeiere, Dominican with Dave & Dave/Lenka Walker, Europe trip with Dave with extended trip to Scotland/England to visit family, Vegas with Dave & her parents, road trip thru the States to visit Daves nephew & family in Houston with a continuation to New Orleans & Graceland (knocking off 2 items off her bucket list!) Most importantly were her twice a year trips to Seattle to visit Mike & family for Sullivan & Finnicks' Birthdays with road-trips to BC visiting her close sister Gail & family.
She was extremely self-less & generous. Always being the first one to offer a helping hand every chance she got, not expecting anything in return, putting everyone else above herself. There wasn't anything she wouldn't give or do for those in need, always concerned with the well- being of others over her own. No matter what the need was, she gave it her all at all times, sacrificing her own needs & desires for those she loved so dearly. She always gave willingly without question.
She loved unconditionally & with her whole heart, never forced but always felt no matter what. She loved her family & friends like no one else could. It was real & it was strong. She loved to make everyone around her feel good about themselves, to offer as much love & support as they needed & to truly show them how much that they were loved. She was the shining light on everyone's darkest days.
She absolutely loved being a Grandma/Grammie! Nothing made her happier than being around her grandchildren. They were her everything & she loved them fiercely.
She was funny. Anyone that knew her would agree that she always had a smile on her face & if you lost yours, she would be the first person to help you find it again with whatever wise crack or joke she knew. It was like she knew life was too short to be serious all the time & would make it her mission to find a comment that would surely bring a smile to your face or bring on immense laughter.
She was fun to be around. Family get togethers, annual vacations, lunch dates with family & friends or trips to find the best deal @ VV Boutique (Value Village) with an Ice Capp after or catching up & complaining about the latest episode of 'The Kardashians' were something she looked forward to. Whatever it was, she made it enjoyable.
She was a true caregiver. She loved being around her patients while working for many years on the Kidney Dialysis Unit at the Foothills Hospital & strived to make their long days joyful & less burdensome. She gave them hope & friendship & most importantly laughter. Donna cared for her cousin Jeanine when she was going thru her battle with Breast Cancer. She cared for not only both her parents when they were sick, but she was also there for both of Daves parents when they went thru their own health battles.
Most importantly, Donna was a fighter, a warrior. She quietly battled her own health issues & never gave up. Even with having to deal with the constant pain she was going thru, she still worried more about everyone else's struggles & kept her chin up. Always looking on the bright side, moving forward & pushing thru it all as she never wanted anyone else to worry about her. She never gave up & remained strong for as long as she could.
To say Donna had a beautiful spirit & a heart of gold would be a complete understatement. Until her last day, she was always putting others best interests before herself. A true testament of unconditional love that we can all aspire to follow & honor. Her joy in life was to make everyone around her happy & to feel loved. Her absence will never go unnoticed & is unshakeable. Her vibrant spirit that had brought us so much love & happiness is no longer here, but she will never be forgotten as she has left a little bit of her legacy within us all.
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Born in Mission, BC.
Born in Calgary, AB
Born in Edmonton, AB
Born in Edmonton, AB
Born in Edmonton, AB
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