Donna Ashford Kimball

Donna passed away February 14, 2016 at her home in Hopkinton, NH in the company of her family. Donna is survived by her husband Robert Kimball and children Holly B. Kimball, Christopher M. Kimball and Matthew R. Kimball.

Donna was born on April 6, 1943 to the parents of Norman L. Ashford and Madeline Watson Ashford Shattuck at Nashua Memorial Hospital. Donna was from a close knit family of 13 brothers and sisters growing up in Brookline and attended Milford high school. She met her future soul mate and husband, Robert Moses Kimball, through the local Grange association and they were married on June 5, 1965 in Brookline NH.

Donna worked scooping ice cream at Haywards Ice Cream Shop and also worked at the Nashua Corporation in NH. Donna was a professional homemaker and farm wife for over 50 years. Donna took pride in raising 3 children and spoiling 7 grandchildren. Her passions include baking and she built and operated her own commercial kitchen at her home at Beech Hill Farm. She and Robert operated a working dairy farm until 1996 when the cows left and they transformed the existing milk barn into an ice cream business along with crafts, hanging plants, Amish goods and furniture and corn mazes. Donna often marketed her famous apple cakes to local stores and St Pauls’ school along with the farm stand. She had an eye for decorating and over the course of a decade she remodeled the 1700s farm house back to its original form with wide pine boards, Indian shutters and horse hair plaster walls. Mom was active in the 4H leaders association and helped organize the first ice cream booth at the Hopkinton fair. Donna was a long time member of the First Congregational Church and active in the church choir.

Her children kept her busy with sports activities as she never missed a practice, game, tournament or lesson for over 20 years.

She loved visiting Amish Country in PA and learning about their culture along with bringing Amish goods to the Farm stand at Beech Hill.

You could always count on a smile and a hug from Mom, a hot meal and an open heart. She will always be remembered for her kindness and loving nature, her dedication to family and friends and her strength and spirit for life itself. She has taught us how to live, how to laugh and how to see the goodness in others, now it’s our turn to honor her life and carry on her spirit.

We would like to thank the many friends and neighbors who have been providing meals and support through the last 3 years. We are forever grateful.

Calling hours will be held Thursday, Feb. 18 from 4 to 7 p.m. at Bennett Funeral Home in Concord. A funeral service will be held Friday Feb. 19 at 2:30 p.m. at First Congregational Church, 1548 Hopkinton rd Hopkinton. A private burial will be held in the spring.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be mailed to DH Office of Development at One Medical Center Drive Lebanon, NH 03736 for Pancreatic Cancer Research.

In loving memory, The Kimball family.