Donna Louise Vanderbilt

Donna Louise (Myers) Vanderbilt

ALBUQUERQUE, NM: Donna Louise (Myers) Vanderbilt died April 2, 2015 in Albuquerque, NM following a short illness.

Donna was born June 22, 1933 in Zanesville, Ohio and grew up on a nearby dairy farm. She graduated salutatorian from Philo High School in 1951 and then from Ohio University with a degree in elementary education in 1956. She met her future husband, M. Daniel Vanderbilt, at an engineering mixer at OU and they were married August 26, 1956.

She taught elementary school in Virginia and Illinois before they moved to Fort Collins, CO, in 1963 where Dan was on the faculty of the Civil Engineering Department at Colorado State University.

Donna's family and home were central to her happiness. She loved reading about and traveling in the American west. She was an avid bridge player, gardener, and member of a home arts group. After Dan passed away in 1988, she met long-time companion and best friend Dale Faas. They enjoyed traveling together throughout the west and the world.

Donna was preceded in death by her husband; parents Florence F. (Deitrick) and Charles J. Myers Jr., and her nephew John Watson.

She is survived by her two daughters, Callie A. Vanderbilt (John McHarney) of Farmington, NM and Kristin L. Vanderbilt (Tim Schroeder) of Albuquerque, NM; grandson, Jesse White of Bozeman, MT; sister, Jackie (Bill) Watson of Duncan Falls, OH; brother Charles J. (Joan) Myers III of Zanesville, OH; and many nieces, nephews and cousins in the Zanesville area.

A memorial service will be held in Fort Collins at the First United Methodist Church, where Mom was a member, later in 2015.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Larimer Humane Society, Attn: Development, 5137 South College Avenue, Fort Collins, Colorado 80525.