Donna Helen Murch

Donna Helen Plaisted Murch
1925 - 2017
WINDSOR -
Heaven gained a new angel on Jan. 25, 2017, when Donna Helen Plaisted Murch left this world for the next adventure. There were many dogs waiting for her at the end of the Rainbow Bridge. She was born on Nov. 21, 1925 to parents Donald Herbert Plaisted and Ora Diantha Wade Plaisted in Belfast. Donna started her school years in Belfast and Skowhegan and from junior high through high school attended Augusta schools graduating from Cony in 1942. Donna married John Murch in 1946 and raised four children, Jeffrey, Diana, Lisa and Glenna.
When the children were older she started college and earned a teaching degree from the University of Maine Orono and graduated in the spring of 1976 alongside her son Jeffrey and now daughter-in-law Claudette. Donna then began her teaching career at the Windsor Elementary School where she was a Title One teacher working with disadvantaged children until she retired in 1988. She was famously loved by her students, some of whom were known to leave their pets on her doorstep. After retiring from teaching Donna volunteered at what was then Augusta General Hospital and gave tours to school aged children. She worked for two United States censuses and also did volunteer visits to elderly shut-ins.
Donna was predeceased by her sister Glenna Plaisted. Surviving her are her children Jeffrey Murch and his wife Claudette from Windsor, Diana Osberg from Van Nuys, Calif., Lisa Houllahan and her partner Jeffrey Ryder from Mercer, and Glenna Snively and her husband Scott from Kingston Wash. Also surviving her are grandchildren, Garrett Murch, Aubree Murch, Joshua Hayward and his wife Nicole, Jennifer Hayward, Johnny Houllahan, Samantha Snively, Braedon Snively and Ian Snively; and great-grandchildren Yemaya McLaury, Bradley Hayward, Abigail Hayward; and also her beloved Maltese Sweat Pea. We love you Mom and we always will. Donna was always available to help with grandchildren whenever needed and never stopped being a mother. She loved the ocean and all things nature and advocated openly to protect the environment. She had a great fondness for animals. Donna always had to have a dog and her flower gardens, they gave her great joy. The family wishes to thank the staff at Mount St. Joseph in Waterville for their wonderful care and kindness towards her. There will be no public visiting hours but there will be a celebration of her life at the home of Jeff and Claudette at 258 Barton Rd. in Windsor for those who would like to share memories of Donna on Saturday Feb. 4, 2017 between 1-5 p.m.

For those wishing to make a
charitable donation in her name to:
The Kennebec Valley
Humane Society
10 Pet Haven Lane
Augusta, Maine 04330, or
The Greyhound Clinic
231 Old Belgrade Rd.
Augusta, Maine 04330, or the
Shriner's Burn Hospital
c/o Kora Temple
11 Sabattus Street
Lewiston, Maine 04340