Donna Rae Fadness

Donna was one of the sweetest and most caring people I have ever been blessed to know, kind and also courageous, a rare combination in this world. She was a part of my life for almost fifty years, most filled with memories of delightful times, much love, and much laughter. Quilting. Cooking. Fashion shows in the gardens. Parades. Movie openings. Watching TV with friends. Sunday teas. “Breen.” Her passing came as a great shock to all of us, and she will be terribly missed as one of the brightest stars in our skies. Rest well, dear friend. You’ve more than earned it, though the time came far too soon.

I first met Donna at UW Whitewater, when we were both freshmen. Shared interests in architecture, story-telling, and John Denver cemented our friendship, and by our second year, Donna, her roommate, Nancy, my roommate Charlene, and me, we’re doing just about everything together. By our third year at Whitewater, the four of us moved off-campus and began shopping and cooking together. Donna was generous and giving, a wonderful cook, and a die-hard romantic. I remember her telling me the long, complicated romances she made up, including detailed house plans (down to color schemes and woodwork) and sometimes illustrations. On nice days, we would walk around Whitewater, looking at the old houses and trying to guess what the floor plans were. Trips to Milwaukee or Madison always included bookstores, where she would peruse the romances, reading sections at the beginning, middle, and end of the books before she bought them. After college, she joined my friends and I going to science fiction and fantasy conventions, even though she wasn’t really a fan of those things. She just loved the experience. We did movie and historical costuming, and her costumes were always original and well-made. I will miss her! She was a part of my life for 50 years, never complaining, always generous with her talents. The world has lost one of the finest people it ever produced, and my heart goes out to her family to whom she was very close.

I remember Donna from LaFollette High School.She was always very pleasant and kind.

I worked for many years with Donna in the Workers Comp Division. She was also a member of our union local. She always had a warm smile and a vivacious outlook shared with all her coworkers. She was a truly wonderful person. Pete Nowicki former President AFSCME Local 145

I worked with Donna at the Worker’s Compensation division. She was so kind, and would go out of her way to help me. I always left our conversations with a smile on my face. Her smile was contagious. Everyone loved her at work. She was a special person. So sorry for your loss. With deepest sympathy. Debbi Hornbeck