Donna R. Kronen

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Donna Rae Lutz Kronen, who departed this life on February 7, 2026, at the age of 68. Beloved mother, Grammy, sister, cousin, and friend, Donna was surrounded by her family in her final moments, held in the same love she so freely gave throughout her life.

Born on February 10, 1957, in Doylestown, PA, Donna knew loss early and intimately. She lost her father as a child, then her stepfather and mother - all at a young age. She married her high school sweetheart, Brian, at 19, and together they built a life of deep love until his sudden passing at 50. Donna never remarried. Instead, she channeled her enormous capacity for love into her children, her grandchildren, and everyone fortunate enough to cross her path.

After Brian's death, his cousins Kathlyn and Karen became the sisters Donna never had, taking her in as their own. The three were inseparable, regularly sharing girls' nights over white Russians and, more recently, taking an unforgettable trip to Italy. Their friendship was a lifeline and a joy.

To know Donna was to love her. She was a quiet leader, the kind who could hold a room without saying a word, whose impact came not from being boisterous or showy but from genuine presence. She possessed a rare gift for making people feel truly seen, listening without judgment and creating space for others to simply be themselves. Her smile was constant, her positivity genuine, and her ability to hold others' struggles with grace - regardless of how they measured against her own - was nothing short of extraordinary. She took genuine pride in making others happy, a quality that defined her life.

Family was Donna's greatest joy. She was a devoted mother to Keith, Becky, and Greg, and insisted her children's spouses - Megan, Jarred, and Kelly - call her Mom. They did, gladly. But it was her seven grandchildren who became the lights of her life. Alex, Evan, Colin, Alyssa, Ella, Caleb, and Connor knew Grammy would show up every week without fail - playing with them, helping with homework, driving to practices, and cheering from the sidelines. They also knew she always had Starbursts and Jolly Ranchers in her purse for them, and exactly which pocket to raid when she arrived. She was the "cool" Grammy - the one who jumped in the pool with her grandkids even when they became teenagers, who played basketball against them and completed puzzles alongside them, who stayed fully present in their lives rather than watching from afar.

Donna built traditions her family will carry forward for generations. Her Easter celebrations were legendary, with upwards of 300 eggs hidden throughout her yard. She took her grandchildren trick-or-treating every Halloween, including this past one. Last summer, she hosted a back-to-school volleyball tournament for her family - just to get in one more summer memory before the hectic schedules took over. She was a skilled pinochle player who passed the game down to her children and grandchildren, and she found quiet joy tending her beautiful yard and garden.

But Donna also craved adventure, and she never missed a chance to explore the world with her family. From cruising through Alaska to camping in Yellowstone, even catching a Phillies game in San Diego, she never hesitated to make memories with her loved ones. When not on an adventure, you'd find her at the YMCA with her close circle of girlfriends, the women who filled her days with laughter and companionship.

Through it all - the loss, the love, the laughter - Donna chose presence over perfection and connection over comfort. She didn't merely survive heartbreak. She transformed it into an extraordinary capacity to love and be present. She showed up. She listened. She loved without condition or reservation. The world is gentler because she was in it, and her legacy of warmth, generosity, and grace lives on in everyone she touched.

She is survived by her devoted children: Keith Kronen (wife Megan; children Colin, Ella, Connor), Becky Badman (husband Jarred; children Alex, Evan, Alyssa), and Greg Kronen (wife Kelly; son Caleb); her brother Robert Sewell; her sisters-in-heart Kathlyn Murphy and Karen Crossin; her extended family; and countless friends who considered her family.

Donna is predeceased by her husband Brian Kronen; her mother Anna Marlene Rufe Sewell; her father Raymond Albert Lutz; her stepfather William Sewell; and her brothers James Lutz and William Sewell.

In lieu of flowers, donations are requested to the American Cancer Society.

Relatives and friends may call after 9:30 a.m. February 20, 2026 at Huff & Lakjer Funeral Home, 701 Derstine Ave., Lansdale, followed by the Funeral Service at 10:30 a.m. Burial will be private in Whitemarsh Memorial Park, Ambler.