The one word I consistently heard used to describe Donnie was generous. He did not use opportunities for generosity as a way to show off. He would find ways to slip you a bit of cash if he knew it would help. He would meet a need if he found out about it. He provided jobs for people who need one. He never let anyone else pay for meals. As one of his daughters shared, “He just took care of things.” He was generous with what he had, he was generous with his love and affection, and he was generous with life and laughter.
Because of who he was, he had friends he kept all of his life, he worked with people who respected him, he had children who looked up to him, grandchildren who adored him, extended family who leaned on him, and a wife who cherished him. She would…show more content… Even though he could not talk, she was able to speak intimately and lovingly to the boy who made her so excited when he honked at her, and to the man with whom she built a life. She was able to say the things she needed to say and recall for him how they held one another in love whether they were richer or poorer, experiencing sickness or health, living through good times or in bad. They had fulfilled their commitment to love and honor one another all the days of their life, and they celebrated this grace together.
Not long after that, Donnie passed peacefully from this life to the next. It was a peace which was born from enjoying his last few days with the ones he loved, sharing intimate moments with his partner for life, and trusting his future to the one who is trustworthy. Donnie had a quiet faith, but if you asked him about it, he would tell you he believed salvation was possible through Christ and he was confident what was waiting for him on the other side of death was an everlasting life. That is why he could say, “I am ready to