It is with broken hearts that our family shares the devastating news that Donna Wilma Adair-Skinner, 61, of Halifax passed away peacefully at home on April 4, 2020, surrounded by those who loved her the most, after a hard-fought battle against cancer. Born in Truro, Donna was the beloved daughter of May (MacKenzie) Adair of Halifax and the late William Adair.
Donna graduated from Mount Saint Vincent University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in 1981. She went on to work at Central Guaranty Trust Company for many years before transitioning to being a full-time mom. She rejoined the workforce after her children grew up and for the last 14 years worked at Rexel Canada (formerly Nedco Atlantic).
There was nothing more important to Donna than her family and she loved nothing more than gathering with us to celebrate each holiday, birthday and special occasion. She was an incredible mother who will be missed more than words by her daughter Kelly Duggan (Luke) of Halifax and her son Kevin Skinner (Kelsey Stokes) of Ketch Harbour. Her grandchildren, Rosalie and Peter Duggan and Finley Skinner, were the lights of her life and spending precious time with them brought her immense joy. She will be forever missed by her loving partner, Gerald Irons of Halifax and her most loyal companion and walking partner, her dog Shelby. Her sisters, Anna Conrad (Howard) of Dartmouth, Heather Adair-Keough (John) and Willa Stolzman (Jim) both of Halifax were not just her family, but her very best friends. She will also be greatly missed by her nephews Scott, Craig and Matthew and her nieces Jill and Brittany as well as many great-nieces and great-nephews, aunts and uncles and cousins.
Donna’s family wishes to extend a special thank you to the QEII’s Gynecology-Oncology team, the amazing nurses in the chemotherapy unit and on 5A of the VG site, the palliative care team, including Dr. David Dupere, Monica McNamara and Cindy Bell, her VON nurses and her nurse, Barb Wright, who was an incredible comfort during her final days and hours.
Donations in Donna’s memory can be made to the IWK Foundation, a cause that was very close to her heart. Arrangements have been entrusted to J. A. Snow Funeral Home and a celebration of Donna’s life will be held at a later date.
“Don’t think of her as gone away, her journey’s just begun. Life holds so many facets, this earth is only one. Just think of her as resting, from the sorrows and the tears, in a place of warmth and comfort where there are no days or years. Think how she must be wishing that we could know today, how nothing but our sadness can really pass away. And think of her as living in the hearts of those she touched, for nothing loved is ever lost and she was loved so much.”
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