Donna Louise Swanson

The family and friends of Donna are saddened to announce her death on August 31st at the age of 80 after an unexpected relapse in her medical condition. She passed peacefully in superior medical care at Rogue Regional Medical Center, Medford, Oregon, constantly attended by Dr. Merritt Hougen, her close friend since third grade. She was born June 7, 1941 and grew up with her parents, Robert E. Swanson, Aileen M. Swanson and her sister Lois in Huntington Woods, Michigan. Growing up in a musical family and with perfect pitch she was, at an early age, an instrumentalist, especially piano and church organ. At the age of 16 she became the organist for the First United Methodist church in Ferndale, Michigan. She went to Wayne State University in Detroit and earned a BA in Fine Arts and Masters in Education and in 1973 became an Art teacher at Warren Woods Public School. In 1971 she was married in the St. Paul Episcopal Cathedral, Detroit to Garthwood Taylor (divorced 1994). They moved to River Edge, New Jersey where she had multiple music roles at St. Peter the Apostle Church. In 1993 she moved to Escondido, California to become organist on her favorite Tracker Organ for the First United Methodist Church in La Mesa. In late 1998 she moved to Los Gatos, California to become organist at La Gatos United Methodist Church and executive assistant for the Zaffaroni family. Donna designed and fabricated stained-glass windows for many churches and temples. This included the impressive thirty-two stained-glass windows for St. Paul Episcopal Cathedral. In 2012 she moved to the Mountain Meadows Community in Ashland, Oregon. Donna was always a dynamic life force, active in charity work and supported numerous charity organizations and local causes. Above all else Donna was immersed in music, both in Mountain Meadows but also in the local churches and other music festivals in California. She was a member of the United Church of Christ in Ashland. She is survived by her loving sister Lois Gregg, nieces Renee and Michelle Gregg, nephews Kurt (Crystal) and Brian (Susan) Gregg, six grandnieces, nine great grandnieces and two great grandnephews, 1st cousins Leah and Gayle, 2nd cousins Charles and Peter and many family members in Michigan and Ohio. A memorial service will be announced at a future date. In lieu of flowers memorial donations can be sent to:

United Church of Christ, 717 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, Oregon, 97520;

Habitat for Humanity, Peace House, 543 S. Mountain Ave. Ashland, Oregon 97520.