Donna Marie Hale Cohen, a MedCure Whole Body Donor

Donna Marie Hale Cohen was born June 26, 1952, to Johnnie Eldridge & Martha Kozumplik in West Hollywood, CA.

Donna passed away suddenly and unexpectedly just after midnight on June 6 to be in the loving arms of our Heavenly Father. We had just returned from a wonderful 5 days in Alabama at the annual assembly of the National Society of Southern Dames of America. For the first time in 25 years, I had not taken a computer and did no work. We got to spend a lot of quality time together, which is a memory I will hold dear to my heart forever.

She was working as Membership Director for the Chamber of Commerce in Salinas, CA when our paths crossed. It was love at first sight between Don & Donna. I asked her to dinner for her 40th birthday, which she later told me that no one had ever taken her to dinner on her birthday, and it was a magical evening. On April 4, 1994, we were wed.

Donna was so much more than the love of my life and best friend for 30 years, she was my soul mate. God brought us together for a purpose. While we met late in life, we were fortunate to be able to spend each day together as we worked from home. Her motto was love, laugh, and live. We made sure we did every day. We pledged never to go to bed mad and no day ever ended without “I love you.”

She was determined to leave California someday. That became reality in June of 2018 as we moved to Florida and settled in Pace, which we fell in love with during our visit out here. The people here are so friendly. After renting for a year, we moved into our new home on her birthday in 2019.

Donna was an avid scratch baker and cook who took joy in baking for our kids, grand kids, guests and for our first responders here in Pace. Allergic to egg yolk, she learned to make everything with egg whites, including a New York Cheesecake. Everyone told her it couldn’t be done but she practiced until it was absolute perfection. She thought nothing of making three separate lasagnas: one vegetarian, one without onions and one regular to accommodate the culinary desires of our family. The secret ingredient in everything she made was L-O-V-E.

She adored the holidays. She had made wreaths and decorations for Easter, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Thanksgiving and Christmas. She loved to decorate. We set aside a room just to store all of our holiday decorations as we had to keep tubs in storage sheds for years to bring in as needed. Christmas and Easter were her favorite holidays both spiritually and decoratively.

She enjoyed sewing, crocheting, quilting, making wreaths, all types of crafts and scrapbooking. She took a bad fall in March of 2019 and lost the mobility to be able to do a lot of the things she loved. Being a very strong-willed woman, she set her mind that she was going to do something and continued to do the things she could while hiding her pain as best she could. Knowing that over-doing it one day would have severe consequences the next few days never once stopped her. She had severe Fibromyalgia for over 25 years and bad spinal issues for close to fifty years.

Some people were just born to see the glass half-full, and she was one of them. Despite the debilitating pain she endured every day, she had the best attitude of anyone I have ever met. Donna would always say, “any day I wake up on the green side of the grass it’s a good day.”

More than anything, Donna loved people. Put her in a room full of strangers and they would shortly become friends. In all her lineage societies, she always made sure new members were welcomed and made to feel a part of the group. She always wanted to be a blessing to others and help them in any way she could. In every way, Donna was truly a ray of sunshine.

“God, Country, Family” was more than a slogan for Donna; she was filled with a love for our Lord and with patriotic fervor for our country from an incredibly early age. She signed all her correspondence with “United we stand, divided we fall. In patriotic spirit, Donna.”

She had a real passion for Genealogy and was extremely good at it, tracing her lineage back to the 15th century.

Donna’s main love was in the lineage societies she had joined and the many treasured friendships she made over the years.

A National Society Daughters of the American Revolution member since 2007, Donna joined while living in CA and served El Paso de Robles Chapter as Secretary, Vice Regent, two terms as Regent (received 1st Honorary Regents Pin in CA); Served as District VII Director; Registrar Cameo Club; Past President Regents Association; State Constitution Chair; State Vice Chair of State Regent’s Project. In 2018, she transferred her membership to Three Rivers Chapter, FL where she served two terms as Constitution Chair. She was an Associate Member of the Rebecca Crockett Chapter in Gainesville, TX where she made many friends who were kind enough to put wreaths on her father’s and uncle’s graves during Wreaths Across America.

Joining National Society United States Daughters of 1812 in CA, in 2014, Donna was an Organizing and Charter Member of the USS Constitution Chapter; Organizing Treasurer; Vice President (two terms) and elected President just before moving. Transferring to Florida, Old Spanish Trail, Donna was currently serving as Chapter Treasurer.

Donna joined National Society Southern Dames of America in 2015, the Gardenia Chapter, CA. She transferred to Florida and was currently serving as President of the Pensacola Chapter.

A National Society Descendants of American Farmers member since 2019, she was a Charter Member and Florida Ambassador.

Donna is missed every minute of every day. I see her smiling face when I close my eyes. Her presence is everywhere and while it continues to bring tears to my eyes it comforts me to know she is pain free and loving every minute of Heaven.

– Don