Obituary for Donna Marie Jennings
Donna Marie Jennings passed peacefully on March 29th 2022 surrounded by her family. Donna was born January 15th, 1959 in Wichita, Kansas to the late Don and Kate Bruner. Early in life, Donna hoed cotton in Oklahoma, was a breakfast waitress for cotton pickers in Oklahoma, and played the clarinet and saxophone for the Highland Park High School Highlanders Band. In 1977, she enlisted in the United States Navy until 1992 where she served in the Philippines, Iceland, Naples and La Madalena, Italy. She also served in various stateside stations as a Radioman with teletype repair qualifications, Shift Leader, Leading Petty Officer, and Chief Master at Arms.
After her Honorable Discharge, she worked various jobs in the Tidewater area and continued her commitment to serve as she volunteered her time with Fleet and Family Services, Norfolk Public Schools, and the Norfolk Public Library systems.
She was one of the first team members of Rome Research Corporation’s defense contract to operate and maintain the Naval Satellite Communications Facility Northwest in Chesapeake, Virginia. Donna served as a Shift Leader on the Operations Deck and then moved to Supply Specialist and Human Relations Specialist from 2001 to 2018. She became known as “Momma Donna” for organizing pot lucks and birthday events for shift workers and day staff.
She is survived by her dear husband, Les Jennings, Sr.; daughter, Lenora Thorbjornsen (James); son, Lesley Jennings, Jr.; sister, Diana Bruner and Sandy Turkin; brother, Edward Bruner (Linda) and Richard Bruner; and a multitude of in-laws and outlaws, nieces and nephews; as well as her brothers and sisters in arms and all those who were fortunate enough to know her.
A celebration of Donna’s life will be held at Graham Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 1112 Kempsville Road, Chesapeake on Saturday, April 23, 2022 at 1 p.m. Please visit her webpage at www.grahamfuneralhome.com to view the service and leave a note to the family. In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation to: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
She lived, she loved, she is loved and, she will be missed by all she touched.
After her Honorable Discharge, she worked various jobs in the Tidewater area and continued her commitment to serve as she volunteered her time with Fleet and Family Services, Norfolk Public Schools, and the Norfolk Public Library systems.
She was one of the first team members of Rome Research Corporation’s defense contract to operate and maintain the Naval Satellite Communications Facility Northwest in Chesapeake, Virginia. Donna served as a Shift Leader on the Operations Deck and then moved to Supply Specialist and Human Relations Specialist from 2001 to 2018. She became known as “Momma Donna” for organizing pot lucks and birthday events for shift workers and day staff.
She is survived by her dear husband, Les Jennings, Sr.; daughter, Lenora Thorbjornsen (James); son, Lesley Jennings, Jr.; sister, Diana Bruner and Sandy Turkin; brother, Edward Bruner (Linda) and Richard Bruner; and a multitude of in-laws and outlaws, nieces and nephews; as well as her brothers and sisters in arms and all those who were fortunate enough to know her.
A celebration of Donna’s life will be held at Graham Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 1112 Kempsville Road, Chesapeake on Saturday, April 23, 2022 at 1 p.m. Please visit her webpage at www.grahamfuneralhome.com to view the service and leave a note to the family. In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation to: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
She lived, she loved, she is loved and, she will be missed by all she touched.