Donna Marie Rudy

On July 23, Donna Rudy's spirit left this earth. She blessed her family and friends with 79 years of love and adventure. Donna had a heart that never stopped giving. As a registered nurse trained at the University of Wisconsin Madison, she made the world a better place for countless others caring for medically fragile and mentally challenged adults and children.

Donna, born March 16, 1942, was the oldest of three daughters raised by John and Dorothy Warfel. Diane was born in 1943 and Cathy in 1944.

Donna raised three daughters, Wendy Plach (son-in-law Steve Plach), Kimberly Rudy (Vince Ulfig) and Jen Morrison (son-in-law Chris Morrison). Donna married Jim Kreimer in May 2000 and joined her family with Jim's daughter Katie Mansfield (son-in-law Dean Mansfield) and son Tim Kreimer (daughter-in-law Sonia Kreimer). With her loving care and extraordinary sarcasm, their family thrived. Donna joyfully embraced and loved to spoil her six grandchildren, Kyle and Haley Plach, Max and Owen Morrison, and Naya and Niam Kreimer. Together their family enjoyed 21 years of fun, laughs, and a freezer overflowing with ice cream. Donna loved unconditionally, and never left a grandchild or cat lacking in love.

Donna was an explorer and loved being in nature. She loved traveling, gardening, and birdwatching. Donna made a house a home, and she would do the same during her travels. She could turn a small hotel room into a home by filling it with love and adorning it with wildflowers and makeshift vases. She made life a beautiful adventure.

Donna's ideal lunch consisted of skipping lunch altogether and heading straight to dessert. To know her was to love her. It also meant you were filled to the brim with sugary sweets. If Donna was near, so too were cookies, cakes, and ice cream.

Please join us for a Celebration of Life on Tuesday, July 27, beginning 4 p.m. at our home at 567 Thistle Avenue, Gahanna, Ohio 43230. We plan to wear our brightest to honor Donna's vibrancy and love for bright colors. In lieu of bringing flowers, please consider honoring Donna by planting a bird-friendly shrub in your garden or donating to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation .