Donna Margaret Warren

Donna Custy was born on October 20, 1932 in Denver, CO to John and Mary (Bollers) Custy. She was the youngest of 8 children, and spent her early years on the family farm in Derby CO until 1944. At that time, the US Government decided to build the Rocky Mountain Arsenal on part of the family's farmland , so the family relocated to a nearby farm, where she lived until 1947. She attended school in a one room schoolhouse with only one teacher for all grades until moving to Denver to go to high school at Cathedral High School in 1947. During high school, she lived with her two older sisters in an apartment during the week and went home to the family farm on weekends. After graduating from Cathedral High, she then attended the University of Denver for 2 years, where she studied Secretarial Sciences. Donna worked as a secretary for United Airlines while she was single. Eventually, she went to work at Martin Marietta in Denver as a secretary, where she met the love of her life, and her eventual husband, Jim. Not long after they were married, they moved to San Diego and began a family. Donna and JIm's only child, a daughter, Anita Marie, was born in San Diego in 1963. Over the next 12 years, Donna would live in GA,PA, and St Augustine FL, but her heart and spirit were always in Denver. She began working as a travel agent while living in FL, and would work in this field for the next 15 years. Finally, in 1973, Donna was able to return home to Denver, where she would live happily in the same home with Jim for the next 47 years, with the exception of a brief period back in San Diego.While she usually was employed outside the home, Donna's first job and her main focus was her family and her home. She took pride in keeping her home neat and clean, and loved to garden and make wonderful treats from the bounty of her garden. She loved to spend time with her brothers and sisters, her daughter and her friends, and always with her loving husband, Jim. Her most important roles in life were wife, mother, sister and friend. Donna was an avid downhill skier for most of her life, and she managed to ski beautifully, even when her 5'0 frame was strapped to heavy wooden skis that were over 6 feet long with cable bindings! She often marveled in her later years how much easier skiing had become once the equipment was better. She taught many others to ski, including her husband and daughter, along with anyone else who needed guidance and inspiration on the ski slopes. She and Jim owned a condo in Winter Park for many years and loved to spend time there skiing and socializing with friends and family. Despite not being able to swim, that didn't stop Donna from joining her friends at the lake and water skiing like a pro. She simply wore two life preservers and was known to take off from the pier and return to the beach without ever even getting wet! Donna always loved to dance, and would be the first person on the dance floor and the last one off of it. She could dance to anything, but especially loved the Polka and routinely tormented her daughter with polka records and dance lessons while growing up. She had an infectious laugh, a ready charm and could always find the humor in most any situation. Donna was a devout Catholic, and was a member of Risen Christ Catholic Church for over 47 years. She was also a member of the Silverado Club and attended many events at the American Legion , both the local post and the post named after her beloved brother John Custy in Commerce City. Most of Donna's 7 siblings predeceased her: John, Vivian, Eddie, Kenneth, Mary and Rita. She was survived briefly by her lifelong sweetheart and husband of 57 years, who passed away a short 4 days after she did. His favorite nickname for her was Peanut, which she adored. Donna is also survived by her daughter, Anita Warren, of Berthoud, CO and 3 grandchildren: Nathan (Maggie) Peila, 26, of Sacramento, CA, McKenzie Peila (22) of Berthoud, and Conor Peila (22) of Berthoud. She is survived by one sister, Helen Konrad, of Denver, and numerous nieces and nephews. Everyone will miss her smile, her charm and her ever present wit. She g s into her next adventure with her beloved Jim by her side.