Donna J. Fairbanks

She was born in Manchester, NH, on October 27, 1955, daughter of Samuel J. and Ardelle (Szarek) Janosz.

Donna was a 1973 graduate of Manchester (NH) High School West. She graduated from Keene State College in 1977 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education with a concentration of Mathematics, and from the University of New Hampshire in 1981 with a Master of Science Degree for Teachers in Mathematics.

She began her teaching career in 1977 at Goffstown (NH) High School, teaching math, computer science, and adult education in computer science. Donna also served as a math team coach.

Donna joined the faculty of Keene Junior High School in 1980 (now Keene Middle School), teaching math (grades 6-8). She also taught introduction to computer science, technology, social studies, and served as the industrial arts coordinator.

In 2008, Donna was nominated by one of her students for the 2008 NH Teacher of the Year award, where she was one of five finalists. In 2016, Donna received the Keene School District Exceptional Teacher Award and in 2017 received the SAU 29 Star Teacher Award under the hallmarks of “Giving, Selfless, and Smart”. She officially retired from the Keene School District in 2018, though she continued as a substitute teacher for the district until most recently.

Donna’s passion for math and teaching was cultivated by her father, Samuel Janosz. Growing up in Bedford, Donna liked to play with her father’s mechanical adding machine, go to Boston Red Sox games with him, and work with him in the garden. He taught her that those activities were all tied to math, from the statistics used in sports to plotting measurements for garden rows.

Her father built their house, and she learned the love of building from him, too. She would always tap into his brain; he was her mentor. He passed away when she was in high school.

In her high school yearbook, the inscription with her photograph reads: “Plans to go to college to be a schoolteacher.” It was always her path.

Donna was dedicated to bringing life to math and connecting with her students. The real-life activities started with a project that became her trademark. She had her students design their own 1,200-square-foot ranch homes by developing blueprints or building a small-scale version. She created the house project and others to tap into her students’ strengths and help them express their creativity. “No matter how good the textbooks are, you still have to make it real,” and she did.

Donna genuinely cared about her students, and there was no end to what she would do to get a student on board and be successful in her class. She was held in high regard by students, parents, and colleagues who knew her to be kind and genuine to all. Her legacy will be the deep impact she had on her students, many of whom followed in her footsteps, becoming teachers themselves, inspired by the passionate educator they found in her. Donna had a real gift, and the students in Keene were very blessed by it.

Outside of the classroom, Donna enjoyed being outdoors, traveling, and hiking, most especially in Switzerland. Her days were never complete without walking and working in her gardens.

She was an avid enthusiast of all sports, but the Boston Celtics and Red Sox were her true joys. It was even more special when the Red Sox won the 2004 World Series, on October 27, her birthday.

Donna married Chandler Fairbanks on July 19, 1980. Together, they spent many happy years traveling the globe and making friends along the way. Their fondest memories to share were their experiences hiking the Swiss Alps.

Donna is survived by her sister, Marsha Hance of Florida; her sister-in-law, Susan Guetti, a niece, Cynthia Brown, and a great-nephew Matthew Brown, all of Keene; a niece, Nicole Guetti, and two great-nephews, Tyler Guetti and Chase Guetti, all from Louisiana.

She was predeceased by her nephew, Thomas F. Guetti.

A gathering of family and friends will be held on Friday, July 10, 2026, from 2:00pm to 5:00pm at the Monadnock Covenant Church, 90 Base Hill Road, Keene, NH. A memorial will be held at the church at 4:00pm. Burial in the Monadnock View Cemetery, Keene, will be held privately by the family.

In lieu of flowers, for those who wish, donations may be made in Donna’s memory to one’s favorite non-profit organization.