Obituary of Donna Jean Baldonado

After an incredible fight against a devastating stroke and advanced inflammatory breast cancer, Donna Jean Baldonado (Bright) passed away in the early morning hours of November 12, 2006 at Panorama City Convalescent Center. Donna was an incredibly loving, generous, vivacious friend, mother and wife. She was born in Millboro, VA on March 31, 1938, to Roland Brown Bright & Louise Owen Eye. After marrying Alberto Baldonado, she traveled the world as a military wife and had the pleasure of visiting Germany, France, England and Turkey. She spent roughly 8 years stationed in Pirmasens, Germany, before moving to Lacey, WA in 1982. She was a proud state government employee for over 17 years, working for Department of Social & Health Services and Department of Ecology. She was involved in many organizations, including the State Government Meeting Planners Association of Washington, as well as the “unofficial” group consisting of friends from the Department of Ecology -- the “Old Chicks Club”. To all those that knew and loved Donna, she was well known for her contagious sense of humor, her strong spirit and resilience, her love of entertaining and planning, and most importantly, her thoughtfulness. She put the extra effort in all that she did. She deeply loved music, and shared her love of it with others. Donna has played piano since a young girl at her church in Millboro, VA. She was well respected as a single mother, doing the work of both mother and father for many years. She was the mother that opened her home to family and friends, cooking with her southern touch and charm. During this past year, she has been truly blessed by the outpouring of support and love from all of those surrounding her, and it has brought her peace during the most difficult time. Her parents, Roland Brown Bright, and Louise Owen Eye, as well as her grandson, Jason Proffitt, preceded her in death. She is survived by her sister, Joan Rhodes of Yorktown, VA, her three children, John Harold Proffitt (age 49) of Knoxville, TN; Jerry Alan Proffitt (age 48) of Milwaukee, WI; and Andrea Michelle Baldonado (age 34) of Linden, NJ, many great-aunts and uncles throughout Maryland and Virginia, as well as her grandchildren, Jeremy Proffitt and Jorgia Proffitt, of Memphis, TN. The family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the “angels” who were with Donna day in and day out, offering assistance, support, empathy and strength: the staff at Panorama City Convalescent Center, the Department of Ecology, and her dear friends Patricia & Stephen Rickter. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in memoriam to the Susan G. Komen Foundation, 5005 LBJ Highway, Suite 250, Dallas, TX 75265-0309. A memorial service is scheduled for Saturday, November 18th, 2006, at 2:00 p.m. at the Olympia/Lacey Church of God, 5005 Lacey Boulevard S.E., Lacey, WA 98503, with a future memorial service to be planned in Millboro Springs, Virginia.