June 7, 1934 - June 9, 2024
Our beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Shirley Witt Donaldson, died at her Kingwood, TX, home in the early morning hours of June 9, 2024, two days after her 90th birthday. How we will manage without her, we cannot imagine. We will, of course, because that’s what people do, and what she would expect. So many people have commented on her unique, somewhat raucous laugh. It startled some, delighted many, and was, in the words of her oldest grandson, Cassidy, “infectious and roof-shattering.” The ravages of Parkinson’s robbed her of that laugh, but even as the disease progressed, she persevered and found great joy in spending time with family and friends. We did the raucous laughing for her.
Shirley Ann Witt Donaldson was born June 7,1934, in Poland, Ohio, a small town outside Youngstown. Both socially inclined and academically gifted, she relished her time at Poland Seminary High School. She was a cheerleader, a class officer, a member of the student council, sang in the chorus, played cello in the orchestra, participated in numerous other activities, and in 1952, graduated Salutatorian of her class. After HS, Shirley attended Miami University in Oxford, OH, for two years, majoring in art and becoming a proud Tri Delta.
The baby of the family, she was preceded in death by her parents, Ross and Almeda Witt, as well as her four siblings: Opal Barton, Jean Wagner, Fenwick “Bud” Witt, and Robert “Pete” Witt.
She leaves behind her devoted husband of almost 70 years, George H. “Pete” Donaldson. They met in high school and never had eyes for anyone else. Four years later they married, moving to Columbus, GA, where Pete was stationed. From there they went to Bowling Green, OH, so he could finish his degree. Geology jobs took them for short stints to Columbus, GA, Bowling Green, OH, Butte, MT, Hoyt Lakes, MN, Vancouver Island, BC, Gabbs, NV, Yerington, NV, Sparks, NV, and finally, in 1965, to Daingerfield, TX, where they put down solid roots. During their sixteen years there, they made lifelong friends and amassed countless happy memories. Though sad to leave D’field, in 1981 circumstances necessitated a final move to Kingwood, TX, where she and Pete built a rich and rewarding life. Shirley became more serious about tennis, eventually serving as Captain of three 6.0 USTA women teams that competed at national championships.
Shirley is also survived by her three children: Amy Donaldson (Charles Vickers), Todd Donaldson (Monica) and Scott Donaldson (Sara); her grandchildren: Cassidy Woodall (Carly Daily), Tristan Woodall, Ross Donaldson, Mary Katherine “MK” Donaldson, Emily “Emi” Donaldson, and Anderson “Andy” Donaldson; and great-grandson: Fox Daily-Woodall. Oh, and we must not forget her adored shih tzu, Macho Man, who lay curled by her side and whose presence was able to comfort her when nothing else could. While her body may have failed, her mind never did, and for that we are profoundly grateful.
Shirley loved her friends, bridge, tennis, a glass of non-oaky Chardonnay, a superb Cosmo — the list goes on and on. But more than anything, she loved her family.
If you believe in such things, Shirley is now hanging out with her old D’field gang: Ann and Steve, Bill and Sue, Barbara and Frankie, Jan and Don, Wes and Sue, Jackie, Vi, and a rowdy cavalcade of so many others. They are having a high old time playing 42, singing songs around the piano while Barbara plays, and laughing — always laughing. That bunch sure knew how to party.
A few years back, Mother instructed that I, her oldest child and only daughter, write her obituary. And that wasn’t all — I was to make her sound WONDERFUL.
“Pretty tall order,” I told her at the time.
Turns out, it wasn’t.
COMPARTA UN OBITUARIO
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