Dona Haynes Schultz

DONA HAYNES SCHULTZ A long-time resident of both Glendale and Pasadena, died Saturday, May 10, 2003 at USC University Hospital. Dona was 67. She was born in Michigan, the only child of Donald and Lilah Haynes. Donald was a dynamic pastor in the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, and the family moved around the country many times during Dona's childhood. As a result, Dona was constantly forging new friendships and learned how to adapt to constant change. Dona's father and g randfather were pillars of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Glendale and around the nation. Her grandfather spearheaded a movement to recognize Seventh-Day Adventist medics as "non"-conscientious objectors. They worked on the front lines, without weapons, but served valiantly for their country helping the wounded. Dona's family life growing up was centered around her father's work with the church and music, as her parents were both singers and her father wrote many songs and hymns. Dona became an accompl ished singer, pianist, and organist. Dona attended several schools until she moved to Glendale in 1962, including Columbia Union College in Takoma Park, Maryland. Dona had a wonderful history in choral music. She was a soloist in many churches, sometimes three on a weekend. She sang in the Roger Wagner Chorale (now the Los Angeles Master Chorale) and the Vincent Mitzelfelt Chorale. She was introduced to David Schultz in 1964 by mutual friends, Don and Jody Olsen. It was apparently "love at first sight," as they saw each other at least once a day for six weeks. Then, when David proposed, Dona responded, "Of course I'll marry you, you dumb nut!" David's father was a minister as well, and both of their minister/fathers officiated at their wedding, which seemed to make their relationship "bullet-proof." It was reportedly a "very long service." Music, family and friends were the joys of her life. She planned many musical events, including the wedding of her daughter Jennifer at the Church of our Saviour in San Gab riel, where Ladd Thomas played the organ, and Maestro Paul Salamunovich conducted 24 members of the Los Angeles Master Chorale. Dona was a world-class "people person". She never met anyone that she didn't bring into the folds of her friendship. She and David enjoyed all of these wonderful friends, and Dona was ebullient at entertaining. David's favorite comment about Dona was "never boring". For most of their 38 years of marriage, David tried to reduce the number of Christmas card/letter mailings, which wer e around 600 a year, but to no avail. Dona was an active volunteer in many philanthropic groups. She was a member of the Oakmont League in Glendale, started the first philanthropic galas for Glendale Adventist Medical Center, and has been a board member of the Los Angeles Master Chorale for nearly twenty years. She loved her service to so many others, especially her family. Dona was a devoted wife and an incomparable mother. To her daughter Jennifer, she was the best combination of a strong mother and a bes t friend, and exemplified strength, dignity and love in everything she did. She was a role model as a mother and a woman. Dona fought the disease of Scleroderma for nearly twenty years. It is a little-recognized autoimmune disease that primarily affects women, and has permutations of involvement for each victim as individual as fingerprints. There is still no diagnosis of cause or cure. Dona's courage was indomitable. She never felt herself a victim, but always fought to overcome her symptoms. She had a spi rit that always inspired all of her family and friends. Dona is survived by her husband, David N. Schultz, of Glendale and Pasadena, her daughter and son-in-law, Jennifer Schultz Bertolet and Chris Bertolet of Studio City, and her granddaughter, Lucinda Grace Bertolet. She is also survived by her cousins Edwin Baer of the Netherlands, Kay Von Tobel of Peoria, Illinois, Elizabeth Asunsolo of Brentwood, California; sisters-in-law Edna Mae Klett of Carlsbad, California, Marelyn Cox of Glendale, California, Syl via Previtali of Aptos, California, Gloria Freund of La Canada Flintridge, and many other loving family members. She will be sorely missed by her family and her many friends. Services will be held at The Vallejo Drive Seventh-Day Adventist Church at 300 Vallejo Drive in Glendale on Friday May 16, 2003 at 11:00 AM. Friends are also invited after the service to the Schultz's home in Pasadena for sustenance and reminiscing. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to the Scleroderma Found ation Southern California Chapter, In memory of Dona Schultz, 11704 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 225, Los Angeles, CA 90025.