Donna Carol Buswell

Donna Carol Buswell, age 75, passed away on March 24, 2025, in Orange County, California. Born on April 4, 1949, in Oswego, New York to Beatrice and Donald Baker, Donna spent most of her life in Colorado, where she lived from 1974 to 2021, before moving to California to be closer to her son.

She is lovingly remembered by her son, Jeff, daughter-in-law, Natascha, and granddaughters, Zoe and Ava. She is survived by her step-son, Brad, and his wife, Trish; and was a proud grandmother to Brian, Kaitlyn, and Piper, and great-grandmother to Landon, Noah, and Blake.

Donna is also survived by her sister, Ginny, brother, D.J. (Barb), and sister, Bea (Ed), as well as her sisters-in-law Ann and Jess (Bob).

She graduated from SUNY Oswego in 1970 with a degree in Mathematics. In 1974, Donna joined Johns Manville Corporation as a programmer, then IT systems analyst, establishing herself as a pioneer in a field where few women were represented at the time. In 1987, she brought her skills to Jeffco Public Schools supporting Student Information Systems, where she served with dedication until her retirement in 2006.

On January 1, 1984, Donna married Irv Buswell, with whom she shared 18 years of marriage until his passing in 2002.

Donna lived in the mountain town of Conifer, Colorado, for most of her years in the state. She cherished its natural beauty, the stillness of the forest that surrounded her home, and the strong sense of community she found there.

She loved camping with family, walking along the beaches of Hawaii and California, and being near the ocean-places where she found peace and joy. She will be remembered for her warmth, intelligence, fierce strength, and the deep love she had for her family.

A celebration of Donna's life will be held on Sunday, July 13, 2025, at Evergreen Memorial Park in Evergreen, Colorado, where she will be laid to rest alongside her husband, Irv, and beloved Golden Retriever, Meg.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Donna's memory to the Jeffco Schools Foundation (www.jeffcoschoolsfoundation.org).