Donna Mae (Thompson) Whitner

Donna Mae (Thompson) Whitner passed onto Eternity and is now in perfect health, singing, dancing and praising Jesus with her husband Don, 2 daughters Cheryl and Pamela, her Parents and loved ones who have gone on before her. January 9th, 1932 to October 9th, 2020 life on Earth. Donna’s legacy will be her love, dedication, and devotion to God, to her husband, her Family, community, and her country and being an active, involved, well rounded, well-balanced civic minded citizen which she taught her children, grandchildren and students! She had such an amazing yet an unassuming beauty, style, grace, and sweet spirit, a kind and quiet demeanor but would become an animated, passionate, dynamo when educating people on our country, our presidents, politics, the US Constitution or when she was promoting political events or campaigns. She was a member of the Greater Toledo Republican club and founder of 2 Chapters of the Eagle Forum in Fort Myers, Florida and Toledo which is a national pro-family, and Pro-education organization. She was so knowledgeable and committed to politics that it seemed she could have been the best pick for our US President. Donna is a proud graduate and active alumni of Scott High and the University of Toledo, cum laude ’54. This same year she married her husband, Don, who she met at an SAE, Sigma Alpha Epsilon and Pi Beta Phi affair at Lake James, Indiana. They enjoyed 56 years together. They had three girls in their late 20s and then a son who was born on Mother’s Day when Donna was 40 years old. Donna and her two sisters were raised on Arcadia. Her father was raised on a farm in Holland, Spring Meadows/Wolf Creek, whose father was a farmer and senator. She raised her family in Old Orchard and lived in Sylvania, Maumee, Fort Meyers and enjoyed summers at Bird lake (MI). She worked as a high school substitute teacher after raising her children. Don and Donna were inseparable, best friends. You’d see them at Home Builder’s functions, on the dance floor or tennis court, at church and community activities, traveling or at the dining table where they daily would share ideas about newspaper articles or local events or gather friends and family for fun, food and games. They enjoyed the arts, theater, music, concerts, singing and dancing, from gala events to potlucks … traveling at high-end resorts to camping, hiking, canoeing, cooking, gardening, swimming, skiing, tennis and sharing their love of God. Don and Donna loved to go out to jazz and big band music venues and dance and even won dance competitions. They’ve been members of the Elks Club, the Jazz Society, Shadow Valley Tennis, and Brandywine Country Club and on the Board of Young Life and PF Flyers at First Congregational Church. Donna was involved in church, in bible studies, with ministries and in their community, the Jay-C-ettes. Alumni and reunion committees, the Mustard Seed, Fish, Feed Your Neighbor, the Old West End District and mentored intercity kids through Solid Rock and Calvary Church. Donna was in the choir at 1st Congo and Westgate Chapel. Donna had a voice like an angel. She continued to sing, smile, and enjoy music up to just weeks ago, even after she had lost the ability to speak due to Alzheimer’s. She still played tennis and went out dancing into her 80s. Her relations with extended family was steeped with love, fun, gatherings, and traditions for each holiday, birthdays, and summertime activities at Bird Lake. Family gatherings often included lots of love, laughter, homemade food and gifts, skits done by kids and each family. The most special memory of all is singing around the piano as her mother or sister Jeannie played. Time at Bird Lake was spent engaging in activities on or in the water, playing games, telling stories, and singing around the campfire and picking up sticks. Surviving her are daughter, Cathy Smith, son, Stephen Whitner; grandchildren: Dr. Stephen Smith, Sarah Smith and Leslie Shoults, Sisters Mary Lou Leonard and Jeannie Rerucha and The Billy and Phillip Whitner Families. She was proceeded in death by her husband Donald Whitner ’10, and daughters Cheryl ‘17 and Pamela Whitner ’04, her mother, Elsie Clagget Thompson and father, Robert S. Thompson. We extend our gratitude to Walker Funeral Home, the Alzheimer’s Association of Northwest Ohio, the Manor at Perrysburg, Hospice of Northwest Ohio, our family, our church family, and friends who have helped through this season of life. A Celebration of Life will be held in Spring of 2021 at Westgate Chapel. In lieu of flowers the family recommends donations to Alzheimer’s Association of Northwest Ohio 480 W. Dussel Dr. suite 150, Maumee, OH 43537 or on FaceBook – Cathy Whitner Smith