Donna Norene Trevithick
1937-2018
Peacefully at home surrounded by her children and
grandchildren and husband on Friday, January 5, 2018, Donna Trevithick
of London in her 81st year. Beloved
wife of Dr. John Trevithick. Loving mother of Scott and Dianne
Trevithick and Colleen and Chris Sutton. Dear daughter of the late
Lawrence Copeland (1961) and the late Blanche Copeland (1988). Loving
Grandmother of Elise and Benjamin Trevithick and Cassandra and Arianna
Sutton. Dear sister of Ombra and Murray May, and Murray
Copeland. Predeceased by her brother, Murray Copeland
(2010). Donna will be sadly missed by many nieces, nephews,
family and friends.
Donna was born on September 21, 1937 in the farm house at
R.R. 6 St Mary’s Ontario in Blanshard Township. She
graduated from Woodham Public School, St Marys District Collegiate
Institute and London Teacher’s College and obtained a
Master’s Degree in administration from UWO. Donna taught all
the grades from 1 to 8 for the London Board of Education. At age 24,
she was appointed the youngest female vice principal for the London
Board. She was one of the first three women to be chosen. She was a
successful teacher and vice-principal with all of her students who had
tremendous respect for her. While raising her children Scott and
Colleen, she developed a nursery school and taught 5 children at her
home in London, Ontario.
She returned to teaching in 1981 and served on a committee to
write the Primary Science Curriculum for the London Board. In 1988 her
classroom was designated as a demonstration room for Whole Language in
which several teachers JK-6 came to observe. She became a member of
the Whole Language Committee for the London Board between 1988 and
1995 when she wrote and published Mrs. T Series Whole Language books
using animal themes. She sold them to school boards across Canada and
the Armed Forces in Germany. She wrote JK to grade 6 science
curriculum for Collier MacMillan Publishing Company.
Donna obtained her specialist in Special Education and Visual
Arts. Her church work at New St. James and Metropolitan Church
included teaching high school students, developing a library, becoming
a church elder, a board manager, and a Stephen Minister.
Donna’s hobbies included reading historical novels, drawing
and painting landscapes and seascapes as well as animals using
acrylics and oils. She made many craft items of needlepoint and
cross-stitch. Gardening became a favourite pastime. She was very proud
of her flower gardens. After retirement Donna continued her hobbies
and decided to board UWO students and foreign students learning
English. Eventually they would become sufficiently fluent to attend
university.
Family was extremely important for Donna. She loved to
purchase clothes and storybooks for her granddaughters and grandson.
In 2008, Donna was diagnosed with Chronic Renal Failure and started
dialysis, a treatment which gave her back her life. She felt cold
while having dialysis so she started knitting Afghans for the other
patients. The nurses and PSA got some from her too. Her disciplined
approach to the dialysis diet really paid off as she was able to drop
from 3 treatments per week to 2. She followed her diet closely and
exercised each day. Her positive attitude to life helped her to accept
her illness. She counselled a lot of patients and made many friends as
a result.
Donna wanted everyone to succeed and go as far as they
possibly could in life. She hoped she touched everyone’s
life in a positive way. Her motto was “If you’re
not learning, you’re not living.” Donna had
travelled all over the world with John. She enjoyed being a world
traveler with husband John, seeing many countries. Her favourite place
to visit was the condo theyowned in Maui, Hawaii.
Friends will be received at Metropolitan United Church 468
Wellington St. on Saturday, January 13, 2018 from 9:30-11
a.m.
Funeral service will be held at Metropolitan United Church on
Saturday, January 13, 2018, at 11 a.m.
Spring internment will take place at Kirkton Union Cemetery.
Kirkton, Ontario.
Arrangements entrusted to Logan Funeral Home 371 Dundas St.
(between Waterloo and Colborne St.)
Friends who wish to make a memorial donation are asked to
consider the Kidney Foundation or the Metropolitan United
Church Foundation (519 432 7189).
Online condolences can be expressed at
www.loganfh.ca
A tree will be planted, by the Logan Funeral Home, as a living
memorial to Donna Trevithick.
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Donna Norene Trevithick 19372018.source
Death notice for the town of: London, Province: Ontario