Donna Murray Dewan

Donna was born in the small Irish dairy farming community of Kinkora, Ontario, Canada to John, the local fiddler, and Alma (Struthers) Murray. She earned a degree from Chatham University. After moving to Toronto during World War II, she met the love of her life John while he was attending the University of Toronto. They were married on August 23, 1947. Their first two sons, David and Michael, were born in Canada. In 1951 they moved to Houston where they raised two more children, Ann and Stephen.

Donna was a going concern and had a passion for cooking, (epic Thanksgiving and Christmas turkey dinners), entertaining, decorating, cards, dancing (remember her father was a fiddle player), sporting events, and ANYTHING IRISH especially a good Irish jig. Several of her children and grandchildren attended the University Of Notre Dame, and she rarely missed the Irish on TV. She was an avid bridge player, playing twice a week into her 90’s with good friends.

To her children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren, she was fondly known as Gran or Granny. Gran had a sharp wit and sense of humor that engaged family, friends, and of recent, her caregivers. She was so loved for this.

After raising her children in Houston, Donna worked for several years in the Development Office of St. Thomas High School. She then spent 20 years as a real-estate agent and Office Manager for Madeline O’ Brien Realtors.

Donna and John retired from Houston to Lakeway in 1998. They enjoyed traveling, organizing wonderful family reunions, playing golf, bridge, and their fun “Happy Hours” with friends.

Donna was preceded in death by her husband John (2005) as well as her son David (1998) and his wife Marsha (1995). Donna is survived by her son Michael and wife Cindy of Horseshoe Bay, daughter Ann Baltruzak and husband Ron of Lakeway, and son Dr. Stephen Dewan and wife Diane of Austin.

Gran frequently bragged to perfect strangers about her 10 grandchildren, and 20 great-grandchildren, who are as follows:

Dr. Brian Dewan and wife Lori of Austin and their daughters Claire and Abby; Kevin Dewan and wife Colleen of Chicago and their children Patrick, Grace, and Mary Margaret; Kristin Kaplan and her husband Andrew of Cleveland and their daughter McKenzie; Tierney Saperstein and her husband Josh of Cleveland and their daughters Donia and Hazel; Moira Massicotte and her husband Joe of Chicago and their daughters Lillian and Aniella; Jennifer Prakash and her husband Abhijay of Los Angeles and their children Dillon, Lila and Cameron; Jeff Baltruzak and his wife Megan of Pittsburgh and their children Molly and Luke; Dr. Brendan Dewan and his wife Morgan of Austin and their sons Luke and Hudson; Dr. Michael Dewan and his wife Dr. Annie Dewan and their sons Jack and Henry; Kate Davy and her husband Sean and their daughter Charlotte.

The family wishes to thank Arbor Terrace and all their staff for their care, and Magnolia Hospice for their compassion and final care.

Due to the pandemic, no memorial service is planned as of yet. We hope to gather the family in near future to tell Irish stories about our Granny.

In lieu of flowers, the family wishes any contributions to be made to St. Thomas High School, 4500 Memorial Drive, Houston, Texas 77007.

https://www.sths.org/support/fundraising/memorialgifts/