"Donna was like a second mother to me! She was a smart, caring, and very strong woman! I loved sitting and laughing with her! She was alway's there for me! I Love and Miss her very much! I know Heaven has welcomed her with open arm's!"
In loving memory of
Donna Gabhart
November 30, -0001
Donna Lee Gabhart, the eldest of three children of Harold and Eleanor Scott, was born on July 30, 1933 at her parent's home in Hastings, Iowa. Donna grew up in the area and attended North Grove Elementary School and Hastings High School where she graduated in 1950. Following high school, Donna attended a local business college in Omaha, Nebraska.
Donna was raised on the Scott farm along with her two brothers, John Edward (deceased) and Bert Leroy, who resides in Omaha, Nebraska. She continued to live and work in the Midwest until she moved to Orlando, Florida in 1975. Donna leaves four daughters, Karen, Susan, Diane, and Lisa. Through all the hard and difficult times the family went through Donna worked hard to support them in every way. Donna was widowed in 1983. After her family was raised she continued to work in the tax preparation field, as well as becoming an election official for the state of Florida. She was continuing to take educational classes for the tax preparation field up until the time of her death. She enjoyed going to the movies, eating out, working crossword puzzles, going to the mountains, and traveling to the Midwest and west coast to visit her family. She was a proud grandmother of six.
Donna died from complications of a massive stroke suffered a few days earlier. She died at the Orlando Regional Medical Center in Orlando, FL on September 20, 2004, at the age of 71 years, 2 months, and 21 days. All of her daughters were present at her passing. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Earl Gabhart (1983); and brother John Edward Scott (2001). A gathering in her memory was held at the home of Diane and Ron Hawes of Oviedo, Florida. Many friends came to express their appreciation of her friendship and sadness at her unexpected passing.
She is survived by her daughters Karen Ann Cooper, Susan Christine Jones and her husband Patrick Ray Jones, Diane Lynn Hawes and her husband Ron Hawes, and Lisa Kay Gabhart; six grandchildren; other relatives and many friends.
Memorial contributions may be made to The American Red Cross: Florida Disaster Relief Fund or the North Grove Cemetery Society.
Tributes
"Dear Gabhart family, My sympathies on the loss of your mother. I know this must be a hard time for you all. I happened across Donna's obituary on the web here earlier this morning. I believe I may be a distant relative of yours. I apologize in advance if I am wrong about all the connection. If your Earl Gabhart is a son of Julia Shannon Gabhart, then I am related to you through the Shannon family. I'm a Shannon family historian, also and I have my info about earlier generations on the www to share at www.geocities.com/grandmashannon/ www.geocities.com/grandmashannon/momI2148.html is my page for Julia Shannon Gabhart. Please take a look at some later date if you want. Again, I'm very sorry for your loss Dennis Nicklaus dnicklaus@yahoo.com "