Today, we celebrate the extraordinary life of Donna Helene Cooper Speigel, (1943-2021), daughter of Sam and Kaye Cooper (both predeceased). Donna born in Toronto, Ontario, attended the University of Toronto and graduated with an MA in Child Study. She met her future husband Mitch at the U of T library. They were married and moved to Sudbury in 1966. She loved Sudbury as much as her husband and spent the rest of her life building community with a wide group of friends, participating in numerous volunteer activities over the years.
Donna had her first bout of Cancer in 1974. It was not her last. With extraordinary courage and determination, she faced this disease six more times over the years and stared it down time and again. The 8th encounter was different. This time it was too much and she knew her time had come. She chose to end her life with her loving family at her side. She leaves behind her husband of 55 years Mitch Speigel, her daughters Lisa Speigel (Andrew Biro), Dara Speigel (Iain Landon), her favourite son Jeremy Speigel, (Emily Wilkins) and her brother, Neil Cooper (Elizabeth), along with her six grandchildren, Kaela Biro, Nathan Biro, Noah Speigel, Sally Speigel, Sam Landon and Sadie Landon. Donna did not live on borrowed time she lived on joyous time experiencing life to the fullest and watching her grandchildren take their place in this world.
Donna had many firsts: She organized the first breast examination clinic; she was part of the small group that created palliative care in Sudbury and was part of the group that advocated for and created the Cancer Centre in Sudbury. During all of this, she completed a second MA in child psychology and was a psychometrist with the Sudbury Catholic School Board. She worked with children all over the province and with First Nations communities from Cornwall to Moosonee.
She was a recipient of the Business and Professional Women’s Woman of the Year award and of the Lieutenant Governor’s award for exceptional community service.
An entrepreneur at heart, she was a partner in Watchit Time pieces (corporate gifts) and a member of the board of directors of the Chamber of Commerce.
Donna was an avid rower and member of the Sudbury Rowing club. She introduced distance touring to the Sudbury club and participated in many rowing tours worldwide. In 2012, she organized a successful FISA tour of 60 international rowers in the Sudbury area. Her leadership was so central to the success of this adventure they named a boat for her. She continued to get up at ridiculous hours in the morning to row until this year.
Our thanks to the wonderful nurses on the fourth floor (North) and, in fact to all nurses everywhere, who do a wonderful job. We are most grateful.
After a private gravesite service, the family will be accepting visitors as follows:
Monday (August 2) – from 5 pm to 7 PM, Tuesday- 2 pm to 7 pm, Wednesday – 2 pm to 7 pm
at the family home.
Please do not send flowers. Instead a donation to the Northern Cancer Foundation would be appreciated. www.ncfsudbury.com/make-a-donation/.
Arrangements entrusted to the Jackson & Barnard Funeral Home
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Sunday August 1st 2021
Nos plus sincères sympathies à la famille et aux amis de Donna Helene Speigel Cooper Sunday August 1st 2021..
Décès pour la Ville:Sudbury, Province: Ontario