Donna Rose Grayson

When the person you love the most dies that moment changes your life forever. In the blink of an eye.

You expect it to be breaking news on CNN it is that enormous. What I learned is that life simply goes on,

the world keeps spinning even if that spinning is slow and sad. Then, little by little you start to see little

reminders of her. Lost memories come flooding back. You begin to see her in sunsets, in songs she

loved, places you went together. They all begin to be a reminder that whether you are her husband who

loved her for 64 years or her children who got the gift of her life far into their adult years or the

unconditional love she gave to her adored grandchildren. What a gift that we have been given by that

time with her. We are lucky.

Donna Rose Grayson was born on July 30, 1935 to Harold and Nell Knoetgen in Okeene, Oklahoma.

Donna went on from Okeene to Mercy Nursing School in Oklahoma City where she graduated as a

registered nurse. She met the love of her life, Charles F. Grayson, at a dance organized by the school

and was married in 1956. Soon after, they moved to Enid, Oklahoma where they started their family.

Donna devoted most of her time raising her three children but was also called back to nursing at

St.Mary’s Hospital for many years. She was PEO president in 1984 and also spent many years

volunteering for The Junior Welfare League. In 1986, Donna and Charley moved to Colorado Springs,

Colorado where she went to work for Penrose Hospital as a psychiatric nurse for 20 years. She adored

her patients and they adored her.

Donna is survived by her husband, Charles F. Grayson of Colorado Springs. Her three

children also survive her. Amy Anderson of Colorado Springs, John Grayson of

Colorado Springs and Carrie and Tim Jackson of McKinney, Texas. Her greatest loves

were her grandchildren, Sarah and Michael Oseth of Atlanta , Georgia, Jack Anderson

of Denver, Colorado, Caroline and Claire Jackson of McKinney, Texas.

She has joined her mother and father, Nell and Harold Knoetgen and her sister Joanne

McLinn in Heaven.

Donna died peacefully at Penrose Hospital on February 25, 2020. We are so grateful

that her suffering from COPD has come to an end and she is untethered from her

oxygen and is free and whole again.

Services will be held Monday, March 2, 2020 at 1 pm at Swan Law Funeral Home 501

N.Cascade. Ave. Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903. In lieu of flowers, contributions

can be made in Donna’s name to Penrose-St.Francis Health Foundation, 2222

N.Nevada, 80907 or to Water for Wildlife 545 Main Street, Lander, Wyoming 82520