Donna Cavenee- Cato, age 65, passed away unexpectedly on April 5, 2021 in her home in Seattle Washington. Donna was selfless, loyal, and hard- working. She loved spending time with her children and grandchildren and dedicated her life to helping others. Donna was mentally and physically strong. She grew up in Burien in a large family and had a very close relationship with her parents and siblings.
Donna loved animals and shared stories about her pet horse and pet goose. She joined the army at age 19 and flew to South Carolina having never been on a plane. Talk about courage! She left the military with values and habits she kept her entire life- she was never late, made her bed every day, and always followed the rules. As a young adult she loved to ride bikes with her nieces and spoil them. During her time in the army, she met her husband Fred who made her feel beautiful and laugh every day. Together they built a family in Browns Point, Washington where she lived for 25 years.
Donna created a home filled with love, happiness, and family traditions. She celebrated birthdays, half-birthdays, and went big on Holidays. Donna baked a cake for every planet in the solar system for a Space themed birthday party and decorated a 20ft tree every year at Christmas. The Cato house was the place where all the neighborhood kids hung out after school because Donna was so supportive and welcoming. She loved to read and help everyone with homework making jokes that she’d passed every grade 4 times.
Pizza Fridays were always a family favorite as well as popcorn movie nights and American Idol. She was the team mom for a variety of sports, the room mom in multiple classrooms, the Girl Scout Troop Leader, and if there was a “Mom of the Year” award she would have been crowned winner every year. She was patient, understanding, thoughtful, and a great listener. Donna gave the best advice. Her heart was so big she was never too busy to help or listen.
Donna put others before herself every single day in both her professional and personal life. She was the person that would always step up when called on and serve others in any and every capacity imaginable. Donna was a dedicated and responsible nurse who spent her last year of life working 80-hour weeks during a global pandemic. She never complained because she felt a moral and professional obligation to help.
She loved to travel, take long walks, spend time in the sun, fill up online shopping carts, do a Target run, visit the zoo, watch documentaries, root for the Mariners, and practice yoga. Donna had incredible style and always made sure her kids and grandkids were well dressed and well taken care of. Sometimes Donna would like a sweater or jacket so much she’d buy it in every color or accidentally order something twice! Donna had the softest skin and the sweetest most nurturing voice. She was smart, beautiful, funny, and dependable. Seeing her family happy is all Donna ever wanted.
She is survived by her sister Judy, brother Gerry, daughters Jamie and Courtney, son Jesse, and grandchildren Lincoln and Parker.
Donna was a wonderful mother, grandmother, wife, sister, daughter, aunt, friend, and nurse. Her time on Earth was cut way too short and she will be forever missed.
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