Donna Foulon Fitzpatrick

    Donna Foulon Fitzpatrick, 97, our amazing mother, a loving wife and caregiver, a staunch and thoughtful friend, and a generous grandmother passed away April 5, 2024.  She was a Depression Era girl who used hard work and frugal habits to transform her future. Donna was born in Idaho in 1926, to parents Edward and Lila Grace, parents to six children, who farmed through tough times.  At age 7, Donna contracted typhoid fever so severe she was dipped into an ice-water bathtub. The doctor making the house-call said she would not live until morning.  Her mother had sewn a red dress prior, hung it up for her to see, and said, “You cannot wear this until you get better”- and better she got.

    The family was severely affected by the Great Depression, and they moved often.  In hopes of steady work, the family came to Klamath Falls in 1936, which turned out to be one of the worst winters on record.  Her mother fried globs of salted flour and water to fill empty bellies, and the kids broke limbs off trees to burn for warmth.  A local farmer on Hill Road (perhaps a Dehlinger) was kind enough to donate a side of pork to see them through.  Her cherished brother, Fredric, often gave his mother all the money he earned from his grocery delivery job to make ends meet.  Despite their poverty, her mother Grace, a college graduate of “Normal School”, instilled pride in their name and heritage.

    Donna attended Klamath Union but finished High School in San Francisco where her dad found work at the Armour Meat Packing plant.  The family returned to Klamath Falls after her graduation.  She attended a few functions at the Klamath Armory during the war years and because her brother Port had taught her to dance well, it became a passion she enjoyed the rest of her life.   Not long after their return, Grace’s spells turned into a medical emergency, and she died unexpectantly. To help the family out, Donna got a job at the Farm Labor Office, where she met and married Mel Fitzpatrick in 1946, who then became manager for Tulana Farms, at the Williamson River Ranch near Chiloquin, owned by the Henzel brothers.  Mel and Donna began a family, eventually having four children.  Donna adored her babies. She learned to be an exceptional housewife and mother while also doing the Ranch’s bookwork and payroll.  Without a mother to teach her, Donna looked to acquire the knowledge she lacked when she found a mentor and forever-friend in Nita Fried who taught her about sewing, cooking and etiquette.  For each daughter, she sewed new dresses for the first days of school.  She excelled at pie and bread baking, celebrating birthdays, and making her family and guests feel comfortable, even spoiled, in her clean and cozy home. 

    Mel and Donna enjoyed a marvelous social life with their Chiloquin area friends. Activities included: parties and dancing; camping and hayrides; overnight horseback trips; canoeing; snowmobiling and sailing; and monthly dinner gatherings where Donna had the participants play crazy games.  She would go to the county library to research entertainment and recipes just to up her social game.  Martha Stewart would have been impressed.  Simultaneously, she provided a story-book childhood for her kids with summer campouts, horseback riding, sledding, and allowing us to drive old farm jeeps at age 8.  Our birthdays were always celebrated, never forgotten.  Mom loaded up Easter baskets with goodies and sewed Sunday-best dresses for church where she taught Sunday School; crafted magical “Currier and Ives” Christmas holidays with her decorations, gifts, treats and Santa bells jingling outside.  She was a fan of tradition and old-school morals.  She never failed to write a Thank You note and took time to write letters to kids away at camp or college.  She loved making predictions for the coming year, homemade Leb Kuchen cookies at Christmas time, playing Tripoly, and splurging for crab cocktails at Thanksgiving. 

    Brothers Ben and Dick Henzel were good to Mel and his family, but the childhood scars of frequent moves and not owning a home haunted Donna, so she asked Mel’s boss if they could buy a piece of land to build on.  Dick agreed and a beautiful home was started on a scenic hill overlooking Agency Lake.  Mel contracted an illness and Donna saw to his comfort and needs over a lengthy period of time.  He never got to enjoy their new home.  They were married 32 years when he passed away.

    The depth of Mom’s strength was revealed when she concurrently took care of our father’s end-of-life-care, encouraged a child still in High School, oversaw the construction of their dream home, and started a new job, all at age 52.  A lesser woman might have checked out, but Donna dug deep into her frugal lessons of the past and found a way to make it all work.

    Donna had to reinvent her life as a widow.  No stranger to hard work, she chopped wood for heat, made soup on an old woodstove, shoveled snow, crafted a dozen quilts, landscaped her new home by planting trees, raspberries, and setting up a split rail fence.  Mom was appreciative of her good friends Marj and Roddy Judd who broke up the loneliness of widowhood with almost daily visits and were sure to include her in all the doings.  She would pick up 10-month-old grandson Corey after shopping in town, take him back to her home on the hill, doting on him like the babies she once had.  When his parents came to pick him up Sunday, there was dinner already prepared.  Mom became a devotee of Pro Football, having favorite players and coaches; knowing rules and time-management strategies made her a fun companion to watch games with.  She began hosting football soup nights, serving pie for desert at half-time.  Mom hosted all of the family gatherings, and cooked-from-scratch amazing meals.  She was invited to travel to Germany by family friend Gail Leggett, who gave Mom two sight-seeing trips of a lifetime.  Mom was delighted to bring home German clocks, linens and antiques.  After 11 years of widowhood, she eventually met and was married Bud Maloney in 1990. They enjoyed RV travel, games, and many hours with good friends.  Donna cared for Bud through his illness, but he passed away in 2013 after 23 years together.  

    Donna developed a love for the game of golf, delighted to play both at Indians Hills and the Oregon coast.  She was thrilled when Grandson Dirk DeGroot arranged for her to star in a four-generation foursome at Reames Golf course, with her with her son, and a grand and great-grandson while she was in her 80’s, which was commemorated by a Herald and News article.

    Donna created a social club she named The Eighties Ladies, consisting of the long-held friendships from the Chiloquin area, gals who, like her, had turned into octogenarians. She was intent on keeping the connections they had made all those years ago, to stay in each other’s lives through the ups and downs.  She joined the Senior Center pinochle group, and a traveling women’s pinochle group with dear friend Ladean Lough, making many new friends.  Especially sweet to her were Ron and Jane, Gayla and Terry, and Sandy.  As Donna’s health put limitations on her physicality, she devoted time to the things she could still do and enjoy, even baking cookies while using a cane.  She eagerly read biographies in her later years, up to two or three books a week.  Donna remained a fan of pro football and golf.  She was a wonderful conversationalist, who kept her wit and sense of humor to the very end.  When one of her kids was describing their disaster of a rental, Donna said, “Sounds like you should call it Camp Lejeune”.  As her children told her about the wonderful life lessons they had been given, she quipped, “I did all that?  Well, bless my heart!”.

    At age 88, Donna reconnected with an old acquaintance, himself a widower.  They both shared a love of golf and casual conversation quickly turned into a head-over-heels romance for Donna.  Always a woman who loved being in love, gone were the aches and pains, and early bedtimes of before.  Unfortunately, this love story didn’t last long due to the handsome widower’s illness.  That didn’t stop Donna from once again, doing all she could to see to his comfort.

    Mom wanted it known she loved to quilt, bake, play games and golf, and was extremely proud of her devoted family.  She believed her children were the highest achievement of her life.  Mom had a strong, quiet faith.  If asked, she proudly professed her faith in her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  It gives us great comfort knowing she in Paradise in the presence of God.

    She was preceded in death by her parents, siblings Edward, Jim, Doris, Fredric and Richard; husbands Mel Fitzpatrick and Charles S. (Bud) Maloney; and special friend Gale Wood.

    She leaves behind children Gwen (Ben) DeGroot, Peg Fitzpatrick, Paula (Quintin) McBain, Clay (Shari) Fitzpatrick, Grandchildren Jenny Smith; Dirk DeGroot;  Corey McBain; Paxton, Hogan and Maxwell Fitzpatrick; 8 Great-Grandchildren, and 4 Great-Great Grandchildren.

    The family wishes to thank the dear people from the Senior Center Pinochle group; KLAMATH HOSPICE especially Jill and Scott; Joyce McGrew, Joan Wood and Liz Aldama, for their friendship and kindness; and, Jennifer Judd, Senior Care Specialist Extraordinaire.