Norma M. Donaldson

Beloved wife, mother, grandmother, nurse, and friend

Norma "Norm" Donaldson, of Novi, passed away peacefully, surrounded by love, on Thursday morning, October 16, 2025, leaving behind a legacy of care, kindness, and compassion that touched everyone who knew her. She was 79 years old.

Born February 4, 1946, to the late George and Florence (Fregole) Adair, Norma was raised in Detroit and was a proud 1964 graduate of Cody High School. Her calling to care for others led her to pursue nursing at the Shapiro Nursing School at Sinai Hospital in Detroit, where she earned her degree in 1966 and began a lifelong career in healthcare.

In 1965, while visiting the Peppermint Lounge in Toledo, Ohio-a favorite spot for young people since it welcomed those 18 and older-Norma met the love of her life, David Donaldson. Their connection was quick, and they married two years later in 1967, at St. Hillary Catholic Church in Redford.

Norma began her nursing career at a hospital on Grand River Avenue in Redford, where she worked for a couple of years before joining the office of Dr. Walker. Her remarkable dedication kept her with that practice through countless transitions in physicians, ownership, and management for an extraordinary forty years. Norma was the heart of that office-steady, nurturing, and endlessly generous-until her retirement in 2015.

To everyone who knew her, Norma embodied warmth and selflessness. She was "motherly" in every sense of the word-not only to her own family, but to neighbors, her children's friends, colleagues, and patients alike. She was the nurse everyone called when a child scraped a knee, a friend needed advice, or someone just needed to talk. Whether she offered a helping hand, a few dollars, or simply a listening ear, Norma always gave of herself freely.

She also took great pride in her appearance-her outfit, her hair, her overall polish always just so. She loved running, taking care of herself, and staying active. And she was a devoted Detroit Tigers fan, knowing the players, and even the names and details about the players' wives and families! The Tigers weren't just a pastime for Norma-they were a passion.

To her family, she was lovingly known as "Meme." Her grandchildren remember her as "an amazing, loving person," and "so very special-I'm grateful for our 25 years together." Those words reflect the tenderness she showed to all of them, every single day.

Norma's life was one of quiet devotion, humor, grace, and boundless love. She gave without expecting anything in return, and in doing so, she made the world brighter for everyone who had the privilege to know her.

Surviving Norma are her beloved husband of 58 years, Dave; devoted children, David (Kelly) Donaldson, and Andrea (Chris) Ernst; and five cherished grandchildren, Kayla, Connor and Kendall "Peanut" Donaldson, and Max and Skylar Ernst. She was preceded in death by siblings, Sharon (the late Jim) Grenier and George Adair.

Family and friends may gather at the Heeney-Sundquist Funeral Home in downtown Farmington for visitation on Sunday, October 19, from 2-4 pm. Norma's family will share remembrances beginning at 4 pm and a reception will follow at John Cowley and Sons Restaurant, adjacent to the funeral home in downtown Farmington.

In lieu of flowers, memorial tributes are kindly suggested to St. Anne's Mead Assisted Living in Southfield.