Donna Davis

Donna Rennie Davis went to be with her Lord and Savior on August 6, 2023, after a two-year battle with Pancreatic Cancer. She was surrounded by her loving husband Chuck, her two daughters, Dana and Kristin, and her sons-in-law, Henry and Bruce. Donna was born in Jacksonville, FL on November 20, 1951, to John Hayden Rennie and Lora Marie Jones Rennie. She lived in Jacksonville for most of her life. She attended Central Riverside Elementary, John Gorrie Jr High, and Robert E. Lee High School. She graduated Class of 1969. While in high school, Donna was on both the Swim Team and the Synchronized Swimming Team. Her specialty was the breaststroke. Donna married her husband Chuck of 52 years on June 5, 1971. They began a beautiful life together and later welcomed their two daughters.

After high school she attended FCCJ (now FSCJ) and went on to Jacksonville University where she obtained a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education. She eventually obtained two masters from the University of North Florida, Master’s in Reading Diagnostics and Master’s in Counseling. Donna had a 42 year career in education. She spent 7 years in Jefferson Parrish in Louisiana and 35 years in Duval County Public Schools. She had many titles over the years; Classroom Teacher, Assistant Principal, Reading Resource Teacher, Extended Day Director, and she ended as a School Counselor which was her true passion. Mom was truly dedicated and had just recently renewed her Teaching Certificate for another 5 years so that she could help special needs individuals with I AM SENT.

Donna was involved in her community over the years in many ways. In her younger years she volunteered and taught PREP at St Joseph’s Catholic Church. She was a member of the choir there and was blessed to travel to Rome with the group and sing at the Vatican. Her most recent passion was to be a prayer intercessor. She was dedicated to Riverhouse Prayer Ministry and Freedom Deliverance Ministry. She also loved to play tennis with Southside Tennis and played bridge monthly with a group of dear friends. She still met for dinner with a group of school counselors with whom she graduated.

Donna’s greatest joy was being a grandmother to Jacob, Davis, and Charleigh. They were the light of her life, and she was theirs. She constantly poured her love into them. Even on her sickest days she managed to make them each feel special and spend time with them.

Donna is survived by her husband, Charles “Chuck” Davis, her daughters, Dana Driver (Henry) and Kristin Norgren (Bruce), her grandchildren, Jacob Driver, Davis Norgren, and Charleigh Norgren, her sister Darlene Joseph (Joe), her sisters-in-law, Cindy Green and Faith Sheffield (Glen), her brother-in-law Paul (Anita), and several nieces and nephews.

A visitation will be held on Thursday, August 17th, from 5:00 – 8:00 pm at Hardage-Giddens Funeral Home of Mandarin, 11801 San Jose Blvd, Jacksonville, FL.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, August 18th, at 10:00 am, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church (main church), 11757 Old St Augustine Rd, Jacksonville, FL, 32258.

There will be a graveside committal at the mausoleum and a reception to follow at the Cody Center. We would love for people to wear bright beautiful colors to honor the beautiful Donna.

In Lieu of flowers we would love for you to make donations to I AM SENT. You can send money via Cash app to $iamsentgive or you can text “GIVE” to 866.863.1607. If you would like information about, I AM SENT you can visit their website, iamsent.org.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.hgmandarin.com for the Davis family.