Donna Marie Smith

Donna Marie Smith, age 72, of Farmington, passed away peacefully in her sleep at home on November 26, 2020. Donna was born in New Britain, Connecticut, on September 11, 1948, and was the daughter of Joseph and Anne (Rooney) Melescinski. She graduated from E.C. Goodwin Technical School and worked for many years as a beautician/hairdresser, and also as a manager of office services for several insurance businesses and law firms in the Greater Hartford area, most recently for Updike, Kelley, and Spellacy in Hartford.

She was predeceased by her parents and by her brother, David Melescinski, and her sisters Karen Wescott and Jo-Ann LaRosa. She is survived by her husband, Dr. Robert Gryboski of Farmington; by her loving son, Jason Dorsey and his wife Lorie of Southington, by her three grandsons, Joseph, Thomas, and Cole Dorsey of Southington; and by her former husband, Michael Dorsey of New Britain and her sister in law Linda Navarro and husband John of Bristol. Other survivors include her loving nieces, Dawn Calafiore and Ashley Bryant, both of Farmington; Melissa Bernier and her husband Shane of Bristol, Kortney Nackowski and her husband Stephen and Kristel Nuzzo and her husband Ron, both of Middletown; Anne Cusack and her husband Clayton of Danbury and Shelly Hegg and her husband Lon of Winter Haven, Florida.

Also surviving are her four step-children: Elena Lasker and her husband David of Atlanta, Georgia; Robert Gryboski, Jr., of Norwalk, CT, his children Charlie, Michael, William, and his former wife Donna of Rockville Center, NY; Melanie Marshall and her husband Jonathan of Natick, MA; and David Gryboski of Anna Maria, FL. Her other survivors include many cousins and loving and supportive life-long friends, Nancy Youmans of New Britain, Dennis Taricani of Kensington, and Joanne Crowley of New Britain.

A stylish chanteuse with large repertoire, Donna was in popular demand as a singer and performed before appreciative audiences in cocktail lounges and on stages not only throughout Connecticut but also in Vermont, Massachusetts, Manhattan, Georgia, Florida, Las Vegas, Acapulco, and in hotels and on cruise ships in the Caribbean. Her enthusiastic generosity and indomitable spirit brought cheer to everyone around her and added immense value to the lives of those of us fortunate enough to have known her.

The hours for visitation will be held on Monday, December 21st from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at The New Britain Memorial Donald D. Sagarino Funeral Home, 444 Farmington Ave., New Britain, CT 06053. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, December 22nd at 10:00 AM in Holy Cross Church, New Britain. Meet directly at church. Interment will follow in Saint Mary Cemetery, New Britain.