Donna "Dee" Emmanuel

Mrs. Donna Emmanuel “Dee”- beloved wife, mother, sister, aunt, grandmother and friend- passed peacefully on the Eighth of June after a long and courageous battle with breast cancer. She was 62 years young.

Dee was born on November 14th 1960 in Brooklyn, New York to Gloria and William Gonzales.

Graduating from Fort Hamilton High school was just the beginning of her educational journey. She went on to study forensics, psychology, and even became a licensed cosmetologist. She was passionate about learning.

Dee was most recently a property manager at MMS Group, a beloved employee who will be missed by her work family. She was a woman of Faith, and her roots to her Church and fellow parishioners ran deep.

In her free time she loved to cook and feed her family and friends, If you were lucky enough to be on the receiving end of her hummus or empanadas then you know what we mean, you could just taste the love.

She may not have always felt her best, but she always looked it. As someone who had a passion for beauty, it was a dream fulfilled when her daughter opened her salon, and couldn’t have been prouder. See loved nothing more than coming in to get her hair done and her visits will truly be missed.

Despite the distance between them she met her soul mate Emmanuel George (Nino) and they married in Ghana on February 15th, 2018. Dee fell in love with Africa and her extended family there.

She is survived in life by her husband Nino, daughters Melissa Cloutier and husband Jeff, Nevaeh Church, sons Manly Church and wife Cassiy Lagasse-Church, Morgan Church and Izell Malloy. Sister Deborah Nevin and Step-father Frank Ritter. Nephews Michael Nevin, Brian Nevin and his wife, Keirstan Nevin, Her great niece, Riley. Dee was predeceased by her parents and her step-son Montgomery.

Her great joy in life was being a Nonnie to her grandsons Wyatt and Paxton

A Celebration of Donna’s life will take place on June 24th, 2023 at 11:00 am at Transformation Church 1104 Old Colchester Rd, Oakdale, CT. 06370