(January 27, 1933—June 11, 2013) Our sister Donna passed away unexpectedly after suffering a fatal brain injury in a fall at her home in Burlingame, California.
She was the first child born to Jessie Mae and Charles Allen “Pete” Wright, Sr. Upon graduating Stevensville High School, Class of 1951, in Stevensville, MT she attended Western Montana College in Dillon, Montana. After graduation, she began her first full-time, two-year teaching assignment in Sidney, Montana.
With Sidney in her rearview mirror, she moved to the Golden State of California. Donna attended San Francisco State University to obtain her four-year degree. Her first position was in Booneville, California. She later moved to other teaching assignments in the Bay Area. Her final teaching job was at the Burlingame School District.
As well as a Bachelors degree, Donna earned a Masters Degree in Special Education. She belonged to Alpha Delta Kappa, an honorary international teacher’s sorority and was beloved by her many students during her 40 plus years of teaching from which she retired in 1996.
Donna loved to travel to foreign places. She spent a year teaching in Mexico City and seeing the sights with her friend Nancy Brock. She then met another friend, Barbara Bamberry and they all traveled the world. They also traveled every summer to Donna’s first home in Stevensville to share great times with family and friends at Creamery Picnic, parties in the Oval, August trips to Fathead Lake and the Bigfork Summer Playhouse. Her last big trip was to England with her niece and nephew, Terry and Leo Wright. They flew to London, boarded the Queen Elizabeth II, and sailed around Scotland and England.
Donna was preceded her in death by her younger sister Delores, father Pete, and mother Jessie. She is survived by her brothers Don (Donna) of Visalia, CA, Charles “Chuck” (Colleen) and Dan both of Stevensville, MT; nieces Cathy (Dave) Hollandsworth of Portland, OR, Sheila of Missoula, MT, Terry of McKinney, TX, and Sheri (Adriane) Hernandez of Visalia, CA; nephews Brian (Kristen) of Sunnyvale, CA, Mark (Georgiann) of Kuna, ID and Leo of Draper, UT; great nieces and nephews: Corey, Elizabeth, Rachel, Mitchell, Sidney, Erick, Chase, Jasmine, Tierney, Keaton, Delaney, Eli, and Emmy.
The Burial will be Saturday, August 3, 2013 at 3:00 PM in Maple Wood Cemetery, Stevensville, MT, at which time a short prayer service, officiated by Fr. Mike Smith, will be held and her ashes interred next to her mother Jessie. A gathering is to follow at Charles and Colleen Wright’s, 3769 Eastside Hwy, Stevensville, MT.
Donations may be made in Donna’s name to Saint Mary’s Mission, PO Box 211, Stevensville, MT 59870.
Condolences and memories may be left for the family at www.whitesittfuneralhome.com.