DONNA L. BERNARD

1942 – 2009

AUBURN – Donna L. Bernard, 67, of Andover and Englewood, Fla., died peacefully on Monday, Sept. 21, at the Hospice House in Auburn with her family by her side. She had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in May of 2008.

She was born in Lewiston on Jan. 3, 1942, the daughter of Charles and Pauline (Harrington) Smith. She was the second of two children. She was educated in Bethel and was a graduate of Gould Academy.

She was a stay at home mom for several years, raising four daughters, and later was employed at Tri County Mental Health in Rumford as a receptionist, a job she proudly held for 30 years.

She was an active retiree and enjoyed traveling, camping, bowling, clogging and line dancing. She bowled on Rumford leagues for many years and was a member of the Scoggin’ Cloggers performing at area facilities and events. She camped for several seasons at South Arm Campground and loved to go boating on Richardson Lake with her husband, friends and family.

She was a lover of music and dancing and was a consummate social butterfly, always the life of the party. She was a karaoke queen and often hosted karaoke parties at her home in Englewood, Fla., in the company of beloved friends. She truly had too many friends to count and was loved by everyone she met here in Maine and Florida. She loved to socialize and entertain.

In a third grade essay, she wrote, “I like everyone, and I hope everyone likes me.” Simply put, that is exactly who she was. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend. She will be missed more than words can ever express, and our memories of her will forever be kept close in all of our hearts.

She is survived by her husband of 24 years, James Bernard, of Andover and Englewood, Fla.; her four daughters, Julie Martin and her partner, Debbie Landa, of Auburn, Jackie Thibeau and her husband, Bruce, of Bridgton, Jeri Manson and her partner, Glenda Fox, of Key West, Fla., and Janel Jeselskis and her husband, Richard, of Cudjoe Key, Fla.; four grandchildren, Katie, Tyler, Nicole and Megan; two great-grandchildren, Brooklyn and Kobe; her brother, Gary Smith of Freeport; two stepdaughters, Lisa Saxton and her husband, Brian, of Michigan and Michele Sanzari and her husband, Vincent, and their two children, Michael and Nicholas of Falmouth.

She was predeceased by her father in 1995; and her mother in 2006.

The family would like to express their immense gratitude to the Staff of Androscoggin Home Health Care & Hospice at the Hospice House for their caring and kindness.