Donna Quesnel Joyal

Born October 19, 1941, in Lowville, New York, she was the daughter of Joseph and Margret Quesnel. She moved to Florida with her family in 1959 and on June 1, 1963, she married Paul Joyal at Saint Mary’s Catholic Church in Rockledge, Florida. They lived an amazingly full life in Melbourne for the next 60 years. She had many different names: Donna, sister, wife, mother, Grandmere, Mimi, Gigi, Herbie and friend. She was also known as loving, faithful, crafty, spirited, perceptive, intellectual, curious, cagey card player, great conversationalist, homemaker, devout Catholic, voracious reader, and fantastic cook and baker, to name just a few. She was well traveled, going to several countries and all 50 states with her husband and family. She was always learning, and loved new challenges such as fly-fishing, archery, weaving, floral arrangement making, crochet, painting, softball team mom, sewing, ballroom dancing, and belly dancing; yes, belly dancing!

Donna was a secretary for Pan Am in support of the Apollo missions, customer support for Acopian Technical, an artist, homemaker, architect, realtor, drafter, avid genealogy researcher, jewelry maker, and craftswoman of many trades.

Survivors include her husband of 60 years, Paul Joyal, her children: son, David Joyal and wife Donna, daughter Susette Stewart, daughter Cherie Reiter and husband Bryan, as well as her brother Steve Quesnel and wife Karen; five grandchildren, Michael Joyal, Amanda Peterson, Renee Joyal, Christina McKinley and Alex Fenoglio; 7 great grandchildren, Hunter Fenoglio, Hiker Fenoglio, River Fenoglio, Georgiana Peterson, Hugo Peterson, Sonny McKinley and Hank McKinley. In addition to her parents, her brother Tom Quesnel and sister Phyllis Chambers predeceased her.

A gathering of family and friends for Donna will be held Wednesday, October 18, 2023 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM at Ascension Catholic Church, 2950 North Harbor City Blvd, Melbourne, Florida, followed by a funeral mass at 1:00 PM.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.FloridaMemorialFH-Gardens.com for the Joyal family.