Donna Loraine Brott

October 3, 1932 - April 13, 2025

Del Rey Oaks, CA

The family of Donna Loraine Brott shares the loss of our loved one and she will be forever remembered as truly “one-of-a-kind.”

Donna was born in Seattle, Washington, an only child to Louis and Doris Larson. She spoke fondly of her grandmother and growing up in a musically gifted family; she liked to sing and play the piano. She met her future husband Dale Brott in kindergarten and they would stay happily married for over 65 years. Her first job was at a movie theater in Bremerton, Washington while still in school and that is where she first fell in love with the movies.

She had many friends in school including her best friend Joanne and the yet to be famous Quincy Jones, who wrote their middle school fight song. Her favorite presidents were Abraham Lincoln and Franklin D. Roosevelt. She graduated from Bremerton High School and had many friends that would remain lifelong pals. She would live in Oakland, CA for a time and kept up the love of going to the movie theater. After her husband came back from serving in the Korean War, Donna and Dale had two daughters, Tracey and Sherri Brott. They eventually moved to San Luis Obispo, CA, while still taking yearly trips to see the Brott family and close friends back in Bremerton, Washington.

In San Luis Obispo, they met some of their lifelong friends having block parties together with over 60 kids at Princeton Place and cherished all the good times with them and the Callahans. Later, the family moved to Del Rey Oaks, CA. Donna worked as a bank teller at Security Pacific Bank and Comerica Bank in Monterey, CA for many years, retiring when she was eighty years old. She was a hard worker who hosted wonderful gatherings at her home and she was also the community's favorite “teller.” She was close to her coworkers at the bank, who were also her good friends and very dear to her. She took trips all over the world including Munich, Germany being one of her favorites. She was first to give travel advice to her closest friends. She loved to go to musicals, plays, concerts, and sports that the kids and grandkids were involved in and made sure to always videotape it. She would routinely invite her community of close friends and family to come see her grandkids including the Young family, who called her “Nana.”

The Brotts would continue to host family and friends at their house for the Bing Crosby National Pro-Am/AT&T National Pro-Am, Races at Laguna Seca, and amazing holidays ending in most importantly a “hot or cold” hunt. The act of gifting was her love language which always made Christmas and birthdays unforgettable, but the biggest gift was her sense of humor, always telling the most amazing stories.

One of Donna’s favorite quotes was “enjoy the little things in life, for someday you will realize they were the big things.” She was grateful for all of the good times, classic movies and music. Her family will never forget the wonderful trips to Disneyland!

The Brott family had many great adventures and many accomplishments. They supported charities like the Salvation Army, the Blind Center, and the Bluebirds with their daughters. Donna was always there for us and supported the ones she loved.

Donna loved Turner Classic Movies and music. She loved the staff who were like family at Pacific Grove Senior Living at Forest Hill, you know who you are! She brought everyone out of their apartments when it was time to go hear the music. She loved to sing with the best local musicians that would come play every week.

She and her family were thankful for the amazing care from the nurses, Dr. Toledo, the pharmacist, Pushpa and the comfort care staff at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula. She had genuine lifelong relationships with her doctors and loved them, especially Dr. Michelle Horne, Dr. David Hwang, of UCSF, and Dr. Pir W. Shah. Thank you for your endless love and support!

Donna is survived by her daughter Sherri Watkins and her husband Larry Watkins, her endearing grandchildren Corey Watkins, Cassie Gowing and Parker Gowing, loving nephews and nieces, and many close friends.

She was preceded in memoriam by her husband Dale Brott and her beloved daughter Tracey Brott Gowing.

Donna Brott was the person to recommend a movie you had not seen and it would bring you to tears. She would tell you about a song and the singer’s voice would make you smile. She would tell a story about something that happened that day and you could not stop laughing. Our family has been truly blessed and our hearts are full of her love. We will keep singing her song just as her grandmother sang to her and as she sang to us, “Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral,” “Goodbye; I’ll be seeing you.”

In lieu of flowers, please help someone in need in Donna’s memory. A celebration of a life well-lived, or “Last Hurrah,” for Donna and Dale Brott will be held at a later date. Please visit thepaulmortuary.com to leave a message in her memory.