Donna Lou Johnston was born on August 3, 1932, in Ebensburg, Pennsylvania. She had two sisters, Jeannie and Sally as well as a brother, David.
Her father was the principal of Ebensburgs’ high school. Donna met her children’s father, Jitu while attending Beaver College. They eloped upon graduation. Jitu joined the military and they moved to Fairbanks, Alaska where their first child, Doug was born.
After the military, they returned to Pennsylvania where Jitu went to school to become a doctor. Lisa was born while they lived in Philadelphia and Sheila was born while they lived in Akron Ohio. Donna worked in the industrial foodservice industry in the laboratory while the kids grew up.
When they moved to California, Donna pursued her masters and become an ROP (Regional Occupational Program) counselor for the school district, then a GAINS counselor until she retired. She met Ed, the love of her life in 1974. They joined their two families in 1975 and she became a loving mom to Bryan, Colleen, and Scott. When Donna and Ed retired, they made their home in Surprise, AZ. Donna loved to feel the warm Arizona sun every day of the year.
Donna and Ed had a passion for travel and went on many cruises, as well as searching out history wherever they went. They loved to read and feed the backyard birds. Donna was a member of the Red Hat Ladies and loved to play Bunko. She collected friends where ever she went and became grandmother to children in her neighborhood. She was especially fond of her adopted family at Peach Palace.
After Ed’s death, Donna moved to California to be closer to her children. She died on March 20, 2020, after a brief illness. All six of her children were able to visit with her a few days before her death.
Donna will be interned in the National Cemetery in Phoenix, AZ alongside her husband Ed as soon as it is safe to have a large gathering of family and friends to celebrate her life.
She is survived by:
Her six children:
Doug Bhatt and his wife, Kelly of Lindale, Tx
Lisa Johnson of Anthem, AZ
Sheila Taylor and her husband, Clint of North Hills, CA
Bryans Thompson and his wife Laurence, of San Ramon, CA
Colleen Thompson of San Dimas, CA
Scott Thompson of Riverside, CA
Her grandchildren:
Samantha Bhatt, Dallas, TX
Austin Bhatt, Lindale, TX
Kyla Cordova and her husband, Ralph, Chino Valley, AZ
Monique Gardose and her husband RD, Northridge, CA
Collin Taylor, Van Nuys, CA
Keith Thompson and his wife Liz, CO
Shannon Thompson and her fiancé, Mia Cabrera, CA
Jessica Theilen and her husband, Zach, Winchester, CA
Ryan Rue-Las, San Dimas, CA
Annika Thompson, Fullerton, CA
Madeleine Thompson, Fullerton, CA
Her great-grandchildren:
David Cordova
Elena (Ellie) Cordova
Xavier Gardose
Alex Gardose
Brea Thompson
Addison Theilen
Cadence Theilen
Coda Theilen
Her siblings:
Sister, Jeannie Waltman and husband Bill Waltman of Glendale AZ
Brother, David Johnston and wife Nancy Johnston of Getzville, NY
We would like to encourage friends and family to share their favorite memories of Donna here in the comments so that all of her children who live so far apart can share these stories as if they were together.