Donna O’Toole
Donna O’Toole died November 14, 2016 at home after an extended illness. She was born in Rogers City, September 30, 1939.
Donna was very involved in service to all. She made batches of fudge to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, attended the White House Conference for Handicapped Individuals, was a member of the Michigan Hospice organization and developed and directed the Lapeer Area Hospice in Michigan. After moving to Celo, North Carolina in 1986 with her husband Ron Abraham, she became deeply involved with her community serving on the Celo Heath Center Board, working for Blue Ridge Mental Health helping troubled teens. She developed and ran Compassion Books, self publishing her many works on death, dying, loss and grief. She was a member of the IWG, the International Work Group on death, dying, and bereavement attending many conferences in various locations around the world.
Donna was a radio personality on WHSB, social worker, educator, businesswoman, author, storyteller, friend and poet. Her vibrant personality touched all those around her. She loved and challenged those she disagreed with. In short, Donna was an amazing woman.
Donna has one living son, Steven Schmidt (wife Karla); three grandsons, Braden, Logan and Carter all of De Pere, Wisconsin; and a daughter-in-law, Vikki Kociela of St. Louis, Missouri.
She was preceded in death by two children, Matthew and Caren.