Gwendolyn Dondero

Gwendolyn (Spiceland) Dondero, 91, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on Tuesday, October 29, 2024. Born on June 2, 1933, Gwendolyn resided in Royal Oak, Michigan until 1998 before moving to the greater Chicagoland area to be near her daughter and grandchildren. She is survived by her daughter Gloria Latta (David Marcey), three granddaughters - Samantha Latta (Deandre Austin), Brittany Latta-McMahon (Zachary), Dana Latta and her great granddaughter Gwendolyn Latta-Austin. Gwendolyn was preceded in death by her husband Dana Maxim Dondero in 2023.
Gwendolyn was born in Model, Tennessee which was one of several communities that has become part of the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area. She was the last of eight children born to Emanuel Henry Spiceland and Mabelle Cathey (twins Roscoe and Toscoe Spiceland, Helen Ruth Lancaster, Geneva Whitford, Emanuel Henry Jr., Robert Spiceland and Nelda Ann Spiceland. She also had a half brother, Raymond Boyd Kirks).
Gwendolyn graduated from Murray State University in 1955 and began her English teaching career at Burger Junior High in Garden City, Michigan. On New Year's Eve 1957, she met the love of her life, Dana Maxim Dondero, at the historic Vanity Ballroom in Detroit. They were married in 1962 and moved to St. Petersburg, Florida where she taught at Bay Vista Elementary School. In 1966, they moved to Royal Oak, Michigan where Gwendolyn began teaching third grade at Parker Elementary School until 1992.
Gwendolyn was passionate about music and education, receiving several degrees with focus in Music, English, and Guidance Counseling. Outside of her career as a school teacher, she also spent much of her life teaching piano lessons. Post retirement, Gwen's passion for teaching stayed ignited by teaching piano to her grandchildren and English as a Second Language to adults in Michigan and Illinois. She and her husband Dana fell in love dancing and developed a passion for line and square dancing in 1980, participating in dance conventions and workshops nationwide. A small family celebration will be held in Dover, Tennessee at a later date this summer.