Donna Haeseker Billings

Donna Haeseker Billings, 78, of Raleigh, NC has passed away. She was born August 18th, 1947 in Newark, New Jersey and was the daughter of Catherine Booth Haeseker and Warren Charles Haeseker. She graduated from Mount Saint John HS and then attended Mountainside Hospital School of Nursing in Glen RIdge, NJ.

She moved to Durham, North Carolina to work at Duke University Hospital, where she was a cardiac nurse for more than 20 years. She met, fell in love with and married James (Jim) Billings while working in Durham. They have two children, Amie Billings Ehrman (of WInston Salem, NC) and Douglas Warren Billings (of Union Hall, VA), whom she is survived by.

She was preceded in death by her parents.

In addition to her children, she is survived by Jim (Union Hall, VA) and her five grandchildren - Avery Catherine Ehrman and Colin Allen Ehrman; Maddie Keegan Billings, Brooks Colton Billings and Brodie James Billings. She is also survived by her siblings Ellen Haesker Morgenstern (Batavia, Ill), Pete Haeseker (Durham, NC), Cathy Haeseker Werder (Raleigh, NC), Lori Haesker Benshoff (Greensboro, NC), cousins Chip Gillooly and Ann Gillooly, and countless in-laws, nieces and nephews.

We could write an exhaustive list of the things she loved, but the most important one would be her family - especially her grandchildren - and her time with them skiing in Stowe, VT, riding the waves at the Jersey shore, days on the deck at the OBX, walks along Core sound at the house at Sea Level, dock time and jet ski rides at Smith Mountain Lake, and so many summers on the back of a horse at the cabin in Montana.

Nothing made her happier than all 50+ of us laughing together during loud and rambunctious Christmases at the North Ridge Drive house. She loved nothing more than carrying on the legacy of all being together as much as possible, especially as the most recent matriarch of our huge clan.

She loved her nursing days at Duke and was so proud to be head nurse in the cardiac unit for so many years. We loved her stories about patients that she passionately cared for in the CCU and the innovative and well-respected physicians she was so proud to work with.

She loved her dogs (oh did she love her dogs!). We are sure the ones she lost along the way were there with wagging tails and sloppy kisses to greet her on the other side.

A memorial service is planned for October 12th, 2pm at Mitchell Funeral Home on Glenwood Avenue in Raleigh.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Wake County SPCA or Neuse River Golden Retriever Rescue.

Please contact 919-876-6900 for information