Donna P. Derrick

She was born June 25, 1933 in French Lick, Indiana, the only child of Charles Chilton and Madge Rooksby. The family moved to Hemet, California after WWII and Donna graduated from Hemet Union High School in 1951. After attending the University of Redlands, she moved to San Diego and attend cosmetology school and worked as a beautician.

In 1955 she married her first husband, Carl Kermit Plemmons and they lived on the Mission Beach boardwalk. There she raised her four children until moving to Brawley, California in 1961 where they purchased Carl’s Richfield truck stop and she was the bookkeeper. Carl passed away in 1966 and she continued working as a bookkeeper in a CPA firm for many years until friends opened a dress shop, Fun Fashions, in Calexico where she was the manager.

In 1974 she married Lester Derrick, Jr. and moved to El Centro. Donna worked as a bookkeeper for Tamarack Feedyard and also worked for the IRS. It was during this time that they traveled extensively with Lester participating in team pennings, and trips abroad with her friends.

Donna enjoyed being involved in civic and community organizations and during her time in the Imperial Valley she served as President of the Imperial Valley Cowbelles and the Calexico Chamber of Commerce.

She always maintained a second home in San Diego and moved there permanently after Lester passed away in 1988. She had many hobbies and interests including the Museum of Man Auxiliary, Angels of Aseltine School Auxiliary, and was a founding member of the Department 56ers collectors club. As President of the Village Garden Club of La Jolla, she was instrumental in planting hundreds of Jacaranda trees found throughout San Diego County.

She joined the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1955 and became active again in the La Jolla Chapter. This led to her lifelong passion for genealogy and lineage societies of which she was a member of at least 25 organizations. She served as National President for the Daughters of Founders and Patriots of America; State President for Daughters of American Colonists, Daughters of Colonial Wars, and President of several other local societies including the La Jolla DAR and the First California Company of the Jamestowne Society.

She is survived by her children Denise Lonngren (Kenny) of El Cajon, Lori Darnell (Tom) of Lincoln, Mike Plemmons of San Diego, and Julie Plemmons of San Diego; grandchildren Kristen Forney of El Cajon, Jeb Moore (Katie) of Chula Vista, Amy Gibson Spangler (Bryan) of White Sands, New Mexico; and great-grandson Mason Moore of Chula Vista, with a second great-grandson Keaton Spangler due in August.

Visitation will be held at 10:00 am with a memorial service immediately following at 11:00 am on Tuesday June 13, 2023 at the Pacific Beach-La Jolla Chapel, 4710 Cass Street, San Diego, CA. A reception at the Catamaran Resort Hotel will follow at noon, 3999 Mission Blvd, San Diego, CA. Graveside services will be at 11:00 am on Thursday June 15, 2023 at Riverview Cemetery in Brawley, CA.

Per Donna’s wishes, donations may be made to the Village Garden Club of La Jolla Tree Planting Program at VGCLJ Tree Planting Program, 1140 Wall Street #783, La Jolla, CA 92038-7033, or to a local patriotic or civic organization of your choice.