Donna Rose Cyr

HOULTON - Donna Rose Cyr, 69, passed away Wednesday, July 8, at her home surrounded by family members after a courageous battle with cancer. She was born March 18, 1946 in Houlton, ME, the daughter of Maurice E. and Irma Knapp Royal of Hodgdon.

Donna grew up in Hodgdon, one of eight children. She would fondly recall stories of having to lug buckets of water from an outdoor well as a youth. She graduated from Hodgdon High School in 1964.

She married the love of her life, Leland, on March 4, 1966 at the Northland Hotel in Houlton. They met through mutual friends and courted for two years before deciding to marry. After their marriage, the couple moved to Baltimore, Md., while Leland was in the military. They returned to Houlton a few years later, settling into the home they would keep together for the next 40-plus years.

For more than 10 years, Donna was a stay at home mother, who enjoyed all the pleasures of being a parent to her two boys.

In 1977, she went to work for Lester C. Thompson of Thompson Oil Company as a bookkeeper/accountant. She remained in this position for 10 years, and often stated it was the best job a woman could ever have.

In 1988, Donna was hired as a secretary/accounts payable clerk for SAD 29 in the superintendent's office, where she remained until her retirement in March, 2008. She looked forward to her retirement with great anticipation.

Her hobbies included digging in her little garden patch, knitting mittens for her grandchildren, spending time with her husband, playing with her grandchildren and watching birds, especially the cardinals and humming birds that would come to her feeders.

She took great pride in her children and grandchildren and loved being able to have them around for sleepovers and play dates. She will forever be remembered as a kind, caring woman with a beautiful smile.

Donna leaves behind her loving husband, Leland, to whom she was married for 49 wonderful years; two sons, Kevin and his spouse Ray of Amesbury, Mass.; and Joseph and his wife Charity of Houlton and five grandchildren, Catherine Cyr, Christopher Cyr, Cameron Cyr, Isabel Cyr and Olivia Cyr. Her grandchildren were very near and dear to her heart.

She will also be sadly missed by her siblings, Norma and husband Paul Keown of Bowling Green, Ky., Barbara Shaw of Oakdale, Conn., Paulette Shoemaker of Waterford, Conn., Gregory Royal and wife Lucie of Houlton, and Jeffrey Royal and wife Patricia of Cary Plantation.

She was predeceased by a sister, Sally Royal Horten, and a brother, Robert I. Royal.

A celebration of life service will be held at Saturday, 2 p.m. at Bowers Funeral Home, 10 Water St., Houlton, ME with Father Dave Raymond and Pastor Wayne Robertson officiating. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Cancer Society. Guest book and condolences can be found online at www.bowersfuneral.com.