Donnette F Gruel

Donnette E. Gruel [Donna] passed away peacefully at home in Titusville during the night Sunday, August 31, 2025, after several years of declining health from diabetes. She was born April 28, 1938, in Stratton, Maine, but grew up to graduate from New London High School. She is preceded in death by her parents, Stella and Donald Enos, Sr.

After High School, she worked as a stenographer at the Electric Boat Co. in Groton, Connecticut until her marriage to Ensign Carl Gruel, US Coast Guard on May 28, 1958. The new couple left that same day on a cross-country auto trip to board the civilian cruise liner Leilani to go from San Francisco, California to their first duty station in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii. Subsequent USCG assignments resulted in them living in Hayward, then Crescent City, California; Yorktown, Virginia; Seattle, Washington; Monterrey, California; Oxon Hill, Maryland; Boston, Massachusetts; Kodiak, Alaska; Yorktown, Virginia; and after retirement, Vienna, Virginia; Kilmarnock, Virginia and finally Titusville, Florida. At every location, Donna always made each abode a warm, loving home for her family.

Donna founded & ran a small Real Estate-oriented company serving the greater North Virginia, Washington, D.C, and Maryland Offices of various Real Estate companies by providing temporary clerical services as needed. She joined the Beta Sigma Phi women's sorority in 1964 and was active in various chapters until 2021. She also was an accomplished Quilter leaving many beautiful creations behind.

She enjoyed traveling all over America and Canada in their various motorhomes, including three trips up to Alaska. She accompanied Carl on business trips to Tokyo, Japan, Lisbon, Portugal and Caracas, Venezuela, as well as a self-touring trip to Australia, New Zealand and Tahiti,

She is survived by her husband of 67 years, Carl Gruel, their 3 children; Linda Koop (Dean) (New Mexico). Karen Rice (Donald) (North Carolina) and Larry Gruel (Colorado) and brother Donald Enos, Jr. (Barbara), sisters Patricia Fraser (Wayne) and Mary Ellen Enos (Connecticut), 5 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.

Donna's wedding was in St. Mary's Star of the Sea Catholic church in New London and she followed her faith throughout her travels to finally join the faith community at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Mims, Florida where her Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Tuesday, 9 September 2025 at 11:00 AM with graveside ceremonies at Cape Canaveral Veterans Cemetery at 1:00 PM.

Her final 3 years were made easier through the efforts of great caregivers from the Home Instead company and during the last 2 months by caregivers from the St. Francis Hospice of Brevard County.

Contributions in her memory may be made to either the St. Francis Hospice at Donate | St. Francis Hospice Lifestage Care or Holy Spirit Catholic Church at Holy Spirit Catholic Church | Mims, FL in lieu of flowers.