Donna Lee Messmer

Donna Lee Messmer, 76, passed away peacefully in the early hours of January 30, 2022, in Kirkland, Washington.  Her final days were spent with her family at her side.  At her request, no service will be held.  An intimate memorial was celebrated by loved ones.

She was born on October 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, CA and moved with her parents to Columbus, Ohio, at the age of 6 months, where she lived for most of her life.  She graduated from Bishop Hartley High School in 1963.  Many years later in 1994, while simultaneously raising a daughter, she obtained her associates degree from Columbus State Community College.  She then worked as a Medical Technologist in various hospital laboratories until her retirement. In 1998 she followed her daughter out west to Phoenix, Arizona and made her home in exotic Sun City.  She recently moved again, along with her daughter’s family, to the beautiful Pacific Northwest near Seattle, Washington.

Donna Lee Messmer

Donna loved Ohio State football, Motown music, reading, caring for her pets, beading jewelry as gifts for family and friends, and doting on her two grandchildren. She loved giving little gifts any time she visited them, and they never left her house empty-handed.  There were many shared inside jokes over the years between them.  She would faithfully attend every school and sporting event in which they participated over the years.  Her favorite story to tell them was about the mobile library she visited as a child; there was always an exception made for her, allowing her extra books each week, owing to the fact she was such a voracious reader.  She also retained her lifelong love of ice cream, especially mint chocolate chip, enjoying some daily all the way to the end.

Donna leaves behind her daughter and son-in-law, Jenna and Richard Aguirre, and her two beloved grandchildren, Marco (17) and Noah (15).  Donna was the eldest of 11 children, and is survived by  her 10 siblings: Lynn, David, Gail, Greg, Gary (Joyce), Lisa, Laurie (Jon) DiSabato, Denny (Carol Tindall), Kim Morrison and Kevin (Melissa), 15 nieces and nephews, as well as numerous great-nieces and great-nephews.  She was predeceased by her parents, David and Florence Messmer, both of whom she missed desperately.

Donna was pleased to be gifted with one last White Christmas this year, while being visited by many loving family members. The day she died was a beautiful, somber, overcast, and rainy day, the kind of weather she missed and longed for during her many years in the Arizona desert.  It felt a proper way to honor her.  We will miss her strong spirit, and we are proud to have been her family.  We are better for having had her with us.