Donnie Fraser Orizondo

Donnie Muriel Fraser Orizondo was passionate about teaching English to the thousands of students she taught over a teaching career of 29 years. Her passion and desire to teach students the love of Shakespeare, to be able to express themselves both in written and verbal communication and to acquire a life-long mastery of English was what she was all about. Her infectious smile and love of students was known by all.

One former student learning of her passing wrote to her daughter Yolanda on Facebook, “I remember the first day of 7th grade, walking into her class, every blackboard in the room was covered in tiny little writing, and her first words were, "Start copying what is on the board." My first thought was, "Holy S*#@!" Turned out, what I learned in her class that year has carried me through the rest of my education and career - even learning and teaching other languages! We were all blessed to have her in our lives.”

As her daughter reading that, “I literally laughed out loud because that was my mother to a ‘T’—if you had her as your teacher, you would embrace, learn and love English.” We were very fortunate in that she made sure we not only knew English but that we enjoyed every aspect of it. She took us to the Orlando Public Library (downtown) every other Saturday where we spent most of the morning looking for books. It was not unusual for her to find a couple of chairs where she would read a book to us—sometimes finding that other children would sit and listen as well. This is truly my mother!

Our mother taught in Orange County Public Schools for 29 years at Cherokee Jr. High School and Colonial High School. She retired from teaching with a distinguished career in 1994. For many years she was not “finished” and continued to substitute at Colonial and Winter Park High Schools because she loved working with students.

In addition to teaching, Donnie was a strong and faithful Christian woman who served the Lord as an Elder for many years at St. Stephen Presbyterian Church where she was a member for over 58 years. My brother, sister, and I were nurtured in our religious beliefs at St. Stephen as this was how our parents raised us. But it was our wonderful mother who was at the “helm”, making sure we were involved in Church School, communicate classes, the youth group, etc. Through her involvement as the Church School Superintendent, Christian Education, Vacation Bible School and many other positions, committees and activities she was a part of; we were nurtured through her love of the Church and religious faith. She was the type of mother who led by example showing us and many others what the love of God was all about.

This led our mother in later years to become actively involved in the Peace Committee organized by Central Florida Presbytery to actively encourage, dialogue with other faiths to find peaceful solutions to areas of the world in conflict—such as the Middle East. Our mother would research, question, and collect data in her pursuit to approach the Christian way of living by example and acceptance of all. Her dedication to this was about “peace” and finding a solution and to accept all with equality and a right to exist.

Another passion that defined Donnie was her love of music and playing of the cello. Our mother came from a musical family in which there were many lessons both in school and out of school. Donnie played the cello in the Jacksonville Youth Symphony through high school and for a number of years played with the University of Central Florida Orchestra. She was always “whisking” us off after school to piano or guitar lessons making sure that we also embraced the beauty of music nurturing us in a manner that exemplified another example of what a mother is all about.

Donnie was born on February 20, 1932, the third of four children to Cary Donald Fraser and Eloise Larson Fraser in Jacksonville, Florida. Her maternal grandparents were Olaf Nelson Larson and Minnie Argo Larson who were pioneers of Orlando and noted in Orlando, A Centennial History. Olaf Nelson Larson was in the construction business and, along with his partner, built many of the homes in Orlando around the turn of the 20th century. Many times as children we would drive around the downtown area and my mother would say, “That house looks like one that Granddad must have built.” He had a special stamp on the design of houses he built. This always warmed my mother’s heart knowing that her family had a positive influence on helping to make Orlando a place on the map. While Donnie and her siblings grew up in Jacksonville she had many cousins, aunts, and uncles here and spent many summers and vacations in Orlando. After graduating from Jacksonville’s Landon High School in 1950, she moved to the Orlando area to attend and graduate from Rollins College. Later, Donnie attended the University of Central Florida when it was still called Florida Technological University. She earned her Master’s Degree in Library Science as she loved anything and everything that had to do with books, reading and research.

In addition, Donnie is the granddaughter of Florida State Senator James Madison Fraser of Macclenny, Florida and Ella Crews Fraser. Her father Cary Donald Fraser was raised in the Macclenny and later Jacksonville area and met Donnie’s mother (Eloise Larson Fraser of Orlando) at a church function who was visiting her older sister (Lena Larson Weeks) who had married and moved with her husband Louie Weeks (also originally from Orlando) to Jacksonville where he worked as a conductor for Atlantic Coast Railroad. Our mother loved to tell us how much her father thought her mother was “the prettiest” girl he had ever seen. Eloise Larson Fraser graduated from Orlando High School in 1920 and married Cary Donald Fraser in 1921 before moving to Jacksonville where he worked for the Jacksonville Times Union and they started their family.

Even though Donnie graduated from Rollins College she remained at home raising a family and when all three of us were in school she decided that she was ready to teach. The very first interview with Mr. Diffinworth at Cherokee Jr. High proved to be a success as he hired her on the spot. He later told her it was so evident that she loved English and children and wanted to make sure they learned while in her classroom. That was truly our mother!!!

Donnie was 82 years old at the time of her death from heart failure. All three of her children were with her as she passed away and ascended into heaven, where we know St. Peter “just opened the gates” without question. We often joked that “Mommy tripped on her halo.”

Donnie was preceded in death by our father, Nicanor H. Orizondo who passed away in 1995. They were married 44 years when he passed away. Besides her daughter, Yolanda Marie Orizondo-Harding, (T. Sherman Harding, II) of Maitland, she is survived by her son Cary Edward Orizondo of Orlando and youngest daughter Mary Eloise Orizondo Morales, (Victor R. Morales) of Pembroke Pines and her most precious granddaughters, Jessica Ashley Harding Trolle (Maximillian Trolle) of Jacksonville and Muriel Lilia Morales of Pembroke Pines. Donnie was preceded in death by all three of her sisters. She is survived by 4 nephews, 4 nieces and 3 grand nieces.

Woodlawn Memorial Park, Gotha Florida handled arrangements.