Donna Gedda

1934 - 2021

Donna Gedda was born in August, 1934, and passed away on January 25th, 2021. She was preceded in death by her best friend and husband, Neil, who proposed to her via phone, as she headed to Germany to teach for a year. Donna loved being a teacher and instilled the love of reading in countless children, including her cousin Marilyn's children and grandchildren. Christmas would not have been Christmas without the gifts of Scholastic books or Lady Bug magazine from Donna and Neil.
Donna and Neil spent summers  traveling the world and taking road trips around California and  Washington but they also treasured their time at home in Lodi. They were huge USC football fans, attending games with a group of like-minded friends. After they retired, Donna and Neil traveled even more but made time to volunteer at their local school, helping children to learn to read. Donna missed Neil tremendously after he died in 2010, but she kept busy by continuing to host and visit her family in Washington, traveling with family and friends, serving as president of her neighborhood's home owners' association and volunteering at the local library.
Donna was a wonderful cook whose fridge was never without a fresh batch of fudge. She set a beautiful table, always with the good China, napkin rings and candles. The children, as well as the adults, loved Happy Hour, which preceded each dinner and included hors d'oeuvres, homemade lemonade, great conversation and laughter.
Donna is survived by her brother, Walter Ohm and his daughter, a cousin Marilyn Hueffed (Jerry) and Marilyn and Jerry's children and grandchildren. We are thankful for the care given to her by the staff at  Brookdale, Kettleman Lane. We will all miss Donna- her love, energy, zest for life, her positive attitude and her stories. No service at her request. We ask that you read a book to a child in her memory.