Obituary of Donna M. Jewett

Donna M. Jewett, 75, of Virgil, New York, died October 23, 2015 at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan. She was born in Cleveland, Ohio on February 10, 1940 the daughter of Arthur V. Schrock and Virginia M. Schrock. Donna was the beloved wife of Robert T. (Tom) Jewett, the mother of their three devoted children, Andrew T. (Susan) Jewett of Cortland; Elizabeth E. (Adrian) Bayardi of Syracuse; and Daniel A. (Suzanne) Jewett of Beverly, MA and the grandmother of seven cherished grandchildren, Michael P. Jewett and Margaret V. (Molly) Jewett of Cortland; Daniel A. Bayardi and Sophia Y. Bayardi of Syracuse; and, Norah K. Jewett, Amelia H. Jewett and Lillian M. Jewett of Beverly, MA. Donna has been looking forward with great excitement to the pending arrival in November of another child to Dan and Suzanne. Donna is also survived by two cousins, Robert T. Schueler and Roberta A. Schueler of Ohio. Donna was raised in Cleveland until her family moved to New Providence, New Jersey in 1951. She graduated from Summit High School in 1958 and received an Associate in Arts degree from Green Mountain College in 1960. In 1962 she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in education at Newark State College (now Kean College). She and Tom married on June 29, 1963 while he was a student at Cornell University. Donna taught third grade from 1963 to 1965 in the Dryden School District. She later taught third grade in Marcellus while Tom was attending Syracuse Law School. In 1971-72 Donna taught kindergarten at the Military Dependent's School at Incirlik Air Force Base, Turkey while she and Tom were stationed at that installation. Donna became a classroom teacher for Tompkins County Head Start in 1985 and retired in 2004 as Educational Coordinator for that program. From the time of her retirement and until her death she served on the board of directors of Tompkins Community Action which is the sponsoring agency for Head Start in Tompkins County. Donna was a graceful and attentive hostess to all who gathered at her table and always made everyone feel welcome and at ease. She felt that all holidays and milestones in the lives of family and friends should be enthusiastically celebrated. Donna loved to travel. She was a frequent visitor to Ireland and traveled extensively in Europe and the Middle East. Donna had a teacher's instinctive love for all children and there was a special place in her heart for dogs and horses of whom she had many in her life time including a number of abandoned dogs and rescued horses. She was a wonderful wife, mother and grandmother and a dear friend to many. She will be greatly missed. Calling hours are Tuesday 4-7 pm at the Wright-Beard Funeral Home Inc., 9 Lincoln Ave. Cortland NY, 13045 A Mass of Christian burial to celebrate Donna's life will be Wednesday 10:30 am at St. Mary's Church, Cortland. A prayer service will precede mass 10 am at the funeral home. All are encouraged to join the family at the Cortland Rural Cemetery for burial then Commando's Restaurant. Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the Cancer Resource Center of the Finger Lakes, 612 West State Street, Ithaca, New York 14850.