Donna Mae Malone

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Donna Mae Malone, 60, of Cape Coral, Florida, who passed away peacefully the morning of Friday, July 18, 2025, at Gulf Coast Medical Center in Fort Myers, Florida.

Donna was born on November 27, 1964, in Gary, Indiana, to Thomas F. Malone and Jennie L. Malone. She grew up in Portage, Indiana, with her many siblings: Mike, Patti, Patrick, Gilbert, Anna, and Heidi. She had the travel bug, having visited and lived in multiple states, including Indiana, West Virginia, Texas, and Florida. She set her sights on Florida and made Cape Coral her home in 2014, up until her passing. She was very accomplished and received an Associate’s Degree in Nursing from Bluefield State College in 1988, and spent over 37 years in the nursing field. Multiple times, she has won awards for her excellent performance and dedication to her field, and her compassion for caring for the sick is unmatched. She was revered in the nursing community because she led by example of what a perfect nurse should be.

Donna will be remembered for her bright personality, and her smile was hard to miss when she walked into a room. Her quick and sharp wit made for fun conversations, but she wasn’t afraid to call it as she sees it and tell it like it is. She loved nature, butterflies, and hummingbirds so much that it earned her the nicknames “Bugsy” and “Bird”. Bowling was her passion, and she had frequent flier miles to the local bowling alleys. A guilty pleasure was reality TV shows, like the HGTV channel, Say Yes to the Dress, and House Hunters. You name it, and it was probably on her TV. She had a passion for animals as much as she did for people, and always had a house full of fur children. She loved and cherished her time spent with her animal menagerie.

Donna is survived by James M. Coleman II, Austin P. Coleman, Anthony M. Rodriguez, Olivia A. Rodriguez, but extended her love to her stepchildren, Richard Rodriguez, Daniel Rodriguez, and Alicia Hudson, and her grandchildren, Harley Hensley, Robin Hensley, and Khloe Hensley. She was preceded in death by Thomas F. Malone, Jennie L. Malone, Patrick Malone, and Eric Hudson.

At this time, we are still coordinating a final date for her celebration of life. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Lee Health Foundation for the efforts provided by the Oncology Floor (7th Floor, West) of Gulf Coast Medical Center for their time, dedication, and care for Donna as she battled cancer. The family wishes to thank all doctors, nurses, and everyone on her care team for their support and care through the many years of her treatments.

To quote Donna, “If this is the worst thing that happens all day, I think we will be alright.”