Donna Maria McAteer

Donna McAteer, age 64, passed peacefully on September 8, 2016 at her home in Jacksonville, Florida after a tumultuous battle with cancer. Donna was born January 7, 1952 in Piscataway, New Jersey, the daughter of Donald and Mary Moss. Donna led a life full of countless passions. As a youth, she enjoyed competitive horseback riding. As she got older, her passions shifted to art, traveling and even working on cars. Donna began college at Florida Southern where she made lifelong friends, but chose to transfer to Florida State University where she graduated in 1974 with her Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History. While in college, she backpacked across Europe. Upon graduating college, Donna returned to New Jersey and worked as an accomplished commercial artist until shifting focus to work in IT for Ronny Packaging, where she met the love of her life, Vincent McAteer. Donna and Vincent married in July of 1979. In addition to raising two children of her own, Donna managed an at-home daycare service until the family relocated to Jacksonville, Florida in September of 1995. Once in Florida, Donna pursued her Associates in Respiratory Care from the Florida Community College at Jacksonville and worked as a successful Respiratory Therapist for the prestigious Mayo Clinic Jacksonville for over a decade. Although Donna was a career woman, she always pursued other passions. She chose to put down the paintbrush and became a writer of romance novels in her free time. On the weekend, you would find her cheering on her Florida State Seminoles and Jacksonville Jaguars. Donna was a devout Roman Catholic, and an active member of the San Juan Del Rio Catholic Church, where she also volunteered as an “Angel Duster” who helped clean the church on a weekly basis. Most importantly, Donna was a fighter. In 1995, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and needed to undergo surgery and radiation to achieve remission. In 2005, Donna was diagnosed with cervical cancer and chose to undergo a radical hysterectomy to eradicate all cancer from her body. In 2009, cervical cancer cells spread and treatment included chemotherapy and internal as well as external radiation. In 2011, Donna was diagnosed with Stage IV metastatic cervical cancer. She was deemed terminal because the cancer had spread to her lungs and hip. Donna chose to endure rigorous chemotherapy, radiation, bone marrow biopsies, and anything else required to extend her life as long as possible. If you didn’t know Donna, you might not have even known the constant battle she was fighting. In February 2016, Donna was diagnosed with aggressive Acute Myeloid Leukemia that developed as a result of years of intense treatment. Nevertheless, she chose to undergo additional chemotherapy and fight as long as possible. She exceeded all life expectancies and projected timelines throughout her fight. She participated in a clinical trial in the hopes of aiding cancer research and the potential development of better cancer treatments for others in the future. She was an active member of Cancer Connect where she regularly communicated with other cancer patients across the country and offered her insight, positivity and strength. If you were to ask Donna what her greatest accomplishment in life was, she would have undoubtedly said her family. She was immensely proud of anything her husband and two children ever pursued.

Donna is survived by her husband, Vincent McAteer; their daughter Ciara McAteer; their son Chase McAteer, his wife Montsy McAteer and their two sons Liam and Noah; and countless loved ones and dear friends.

A Gathering of family and friends will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 24, in San Juan Del Rio Catholic Church, 1718 State Road 13 North Saint Johns, FL 32259. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 24 in San Juan Del Rio Catholic Church, 1718 State Road 13 North Saint Johns, FL 32259 with inurnment to follow. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, https://donate.lls.org/lls/donate in honor of Donna Maria McAteer. A reception will immediately follow after inurnment in the McAteer house, 652 Box Branch Circle, Saint Johns, FL 32259.