PUMC is located at:
1338 Lincoln Way
Auburn, CA 95603

As we are preparing for her services, some people have asked for a a charitable organization to contribute to in Donna’s honor. Lisa (my incredibly thoughtful and supportive wife) reminded us in this busy time that my mom LOVED dogs–labs in particular–and she has always been hoping to find a way to help Cassi. While it may be a while before Cassi is a good candidate for one of the very special dogs from Canine Angels Service Team, we have directly experienced the benefit vicariously through a dear friend’s daughter. To this end, and in lieu of flowers, a tax-deductible donation can be made to Canine Angels Service Team at the following link: https://www.givedirect.org/give/givefrm.asp?CID=12146.  Remember that many companies have matching programs!

There are a few things to click in frames #2 & #3 to help memorialize Donna Weaver to this great organization.

Thank you for your thoughts, prayers, and support. God bless.

Obituary (to appear in Auburn Journal 1/19 & 1/20)

Donna Gale Weaver, age 80, passed away and went to be with Jesus on January 15, 2012 at her home in Auburn, CA. She was surrounded by her family and went peacefully from complications associated with COPD.

Donna was born December 29, 1931 in Chicago, IL to Charles G. and Helen G. May. She attended Blackburn University and earned her Bachelor of Science degree. While there, she met and, upon graduation, married Robert (Bob) Dunning Weaver on June 1, 1953.

Both Donna and Bob are members of Pioneer United Methodist Church in Auburn. Prior to moving to Auburn from Palo Alto, CA, Donna had lovingly raised her two children. She was very active in supporting her children to attain the highest ranks in scouting. She had also worked in the career center of Palo Alto High School to help guide the students to an appropriate career path based on their interests. After her children had both left home to earn their four-year degrees and eventually start their families, she found her passion in training her black Labrador retrievers for obedience and agility, winning awards at competitions. Her involvement with the Deep Peninsula Dog Training Club made an indelible mark for its members past and present.

Married 59 years, Donna is survived by her loving husband, Bob, and two children, Linda (Geneva, IL) and Steve (Auburn, CA). Donna’s sister, Helen Wing, eight years her senior, went to be with our Lord in 2005. Grandchildren: Sara and Philip (Linda), and Nicholas and Cassandra (Steve). Nieces: Laurie, Becky, Wendy, and Jay.

A memorial service will be held at Pioneer United Methodist Church (PUMC) at 1:30PM on Sunday, January 22, 2012. Following the service will be a reception in the Fellowship Hall of PUMC. The church is located at
1338 Lincoln Way, Auburn, CA 95603.

In lieu of flowers, a tax-deductible donation can be made to Canine Angels Service Team (CAST) at the following link: https://www.givedirect.org/give/givefrm.asp?CID=12146. CAST raises and trains exceptional dogs for children with special needs, promoting the child’s independence and providing a better quality of life through a canine connection. Their web site is www.canine-angels.org.

The family wishes to thank Pioneer United Methodist Church, Sutter Hospice, and all family and friends for their support. Donna will be sorely missed by her husband, children, family, and friends in Auburn (8 years), Palo Alto (31 years), and all other residences throughout the years.

A few sundry medical procedures over the last year, all of no significant consequence, did not spell the end for Donna. Really, they were all “routine”. What really caused us to notice that something was awry was a 48-hour notice from PG&E indicating the bill hadn’t been paid and the power would be turned off soon. Any of you who know Donna must realize how out of character this is. Other bills had been inadvertently neglected, as well, and they all seemed to have started about 2 months prior to the PG&E notice. That coincided with one of the more significant falls my mom has had in the last couple of years, but this particular fall left her with a very black eye.

There is evidence from MRIs that there have been mini strokes. This was true before the aforementioned bill issue and preceding fall. In the case of the bruised face and all other falls before and after, it is not clear if the mini strokes caused the fall or happened as a result of them. Either way, writing became a significant challenge. Lisa (my wife) offered to help resolve the bill issues by paying online. The release of tension in Mom’s shoulders was significant and clearly visible; she was and is grateful for the chore being taken over by someone she trusts.

At the meeting with my parents, we talked about having an appointment with the doctor to see if there was anything that could be done to help alleviate some of the clarity and falling issues that were taking a stronghold. Everyone agreed, so we went home for the afternoon to finish our work there. That evening, we got a call that Mom had fallen on the front walk, so Nick (my son) and I went over there to pick her up and get her inside. No major damage was done, but it was decided that we would follow-up with the doctor the next day instead of whenever it might be ‘convenient’.

First thing on Pearl Harbor Day (12/7, for those of you not raised by those who lived the day), we visited the family practitioner. He immediately noticed her weight loss and indicated it was significant. Showing her chart, she had lost 42 pounds in about four months. Turns out none of it was intentional (I, on the other would would like to intentionally lose the weight… funny how things work). This, and a couple other things, are leading indicators that allowed him to place her on In-Home Hospice. Coordination for hospice services began the very next day with the intake meeting on 12/9.

God has been part of this journey the whole way. A true epiphany hit when faced with how to tell loved ones that Mom was on hospice… instead, let’s throw her an 80th birthday party and celebrate her life while she’s still here to celebrate, too. Linda (daughter) and her two children, Sara (16) and Philip (13) were already scheduled to be here for Christmas, from 12/20-12/30. Having a party made a ton of sense. It was well attended.

From what we’ve been told and read, we have been preparing for the inevitable. Sure, Hospice usually means 6 months or less to live, but it can help the quality of life to the point that quantity is sustained. In Mom’s case, it has definitely helped with the quality and, frankly it’s possible that quantity has been increased, too. That said, we also instinctively knew that, once the holidays were over, there may be far less to keep her here. Like clockwork, her body has been increasingly declining since the holidays.

This has been a beautiful week of sharing from the Bible (John 3:16 and Psalm 23, in particular), visiting friends, and saying goodbye. Linda flew back out on Thursday, with provisions from God to escape Chicago as the snowstorm was shutting down the airports. We are so glad she has been able to be here in person, helping to support Mom, Dad, and the rest of us. It’s nice to see our family come together at such an important time.