Donna Dansker

Donna Dansker

Cincinnati - Dansker, Donna, 86, retired educator and reading specialist, passed away Thursday, October 22, 2020. Funeral service will be a private ceremony for the immediate family only because of the pandemic. Donna was born June 7, 1934, the daughter of Jacob and Pearl Weber. Her father frequently called her "Donnala," a nickname that stuck with her through her summer camp years at Camp Waziyatah, Harrison, Maine, and beyond. Donna graduated from Forest Park High School in Baltimore in 1952 and the University of Maryland, College Park in 1956. She was engaged to Mel Marmer on her birthday in 1956, and they married June 1957, first residing in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC where she worked as a teacher and then, starting in 1965, in Cincinnati, OH. After having three children, Donna returned to college to earn a Masters of Education and to become a long time reading specialist at The Seven Hills School. Later in her career, she revised her role as an educator to focus on teaching school children and parents about conflict resolution, at the Beech Acres Parenting Center. She was very involved in the Wise Temple, including being an active participant in the adult Torah Study program for many years and helping to get the temple's participation in the Interfaith Hospitality Network off the ground to assist the homeless. Her first marriage ended in divorce in 1987. She was later introduced to Dr. Emil Dansker by one of his daughters, Ali, who was participating in a training session at Beech Acres. Emil and Donna were married in November 1990 and Emil, a professor of journalism and mass communication, brought much joy and activity into Donna's life, not the least bit because of his many varied interests and avocations, including being a practicing journalist, loving aviation and holding a pilot's license, working the night shift for local newspapers, being an avid reader and theatre goer, and having a special interest in the Outer Banks of North Carolina and the Civil Air Patrol there. At one point, Emil even convinced Donna to go up on a glider ride he piloted. Donna was preceded in death by her parents, her sister Helen, and her brother Ralph. Survivors: husband Emil, of Mason, daughter Amy Nice (Tom) of Arlington, VA, daughter Julie Kalwat (Jerry) of Lombard, IL, son Ken Marmer (Allie) of Montgomery, stepchildren Helen Dansker of Bella Vista, AR, Ali Doyle (Mike) of Vanceburg, KY, and Eric Dansker (Kathy) of Rockville, MD, grandchildren Maggie Nice (Dave Sanders), Clara Nice (Nadav Pearl), Matt Nice (Winona Richey), Joe Kalwat, Rachel Kalwat, Grant Houlton, Caroline Marmer, Jennifer Mrkobrad (Matt), Jeffrey Holman (Allison), Ashleigh Dansker, and 5 great-grandchildren.