Donna Rae Houseknecht

Donna Rae Jennings Houseknecht passed away on January 1, 2024, at the New York State Veterans Home in Oxford NY. Donna was born October 11, 1937, to Raymond and Ida Jennings in Ilion NY. Donna graduated from Ilion High School with honors. Donna married her high school sweetheart, Robert Houseknecht on August 25, 1956, in Ilion NY. They were happily married until his death on June 16, 2022. They had sixty-five wonderful years together. Donna loved being a wife, mother, and grandmother. Her children, grandchildren and her great grandchildren were her greatest joys in life.

Donna provided day care until her youngest daughter went to school. She worked at the Richard Powers Insurance Agency in Ilion until 1977. In 1978 Donna started work as the Office Manager for the Agriculture Program at Cornell Cooperative Extension in Norwich. She retired from there in 2000. Her family spent many vacations at Pleasant Lake NY and Lake Pleasant NY. She and her husband spent many weekends traveling to Saranac Lake NY to visit her daughter and her family. They traveled to The Colony TX to visit their son and his family. Donna enjoyed attending Cleveland Browns football games with her husband, grandchildren, and friends. However, Donna was an avid NY Giants fan. Donna enjoyed gambling and spent many afternoons at Turning Stone Casino in Verona NY. She and her husband enjoyed traveling. They took trips to Washington DC, Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, Canada, Maine, Missouri, NJ and Nevada.

Surviving are her son Michael (Gail) Houseknecht, of Brazoria TX; her daughters, Terri (Frank) Ertner, of Norwich NY, Patricia (Richard) Ashton, of Saranac Lake NY and Caryn Wake (Mark Ditewig), of Windsor NY; her grandchildren, Timothy Harter, Daniel (Danielle) Harter, Nicole Wake (Jon Stockton), Amy Rushlow, Eric (Jennifer) Ashton, Wendy Smiley, Michelle Hennie and David Wencil; her great-grandchildren, Jarrett and Jayden Ashton, Logan Shedd, Gray and Dominic Harter, Appollonia Stockton, Taylor, Troy, Grace and Diana Aponte, Carolyn Bentsen, Jake and Jillian Day, Gabriel Wencil, Dougie Perry, Ava and Wyatt Buckheit; her sister, Diane Parmalee of Chittenango NY; and her niece, Jennifer (Jerry) Jackson; her great niece and nephew, Olivia and Clarke Jackson; as well as many step nieces and nephews.

Donna was predeceased by her stepsisters and brothers-in-law, Donna and David Terrell, and Diane and James Martin.

We would like to express our thanks to the staff at CMH Senior Living and the NY State Veterans Home for taking such great care of our mother.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Parkinson’s Foundation at www.parkinson.org

Memorial services for Donna will take place privately at the convenience of the family.