Donna Marie Britton was born December 17, 1954 to Roy and Cora Britton in Crawford, Nebraska. She passed away at her home in Mitchell, NE on August 13, 2020 with family at her side, after a hard fought battle with cancer. Donna was the youngest of four and was raised on a farm in the Bethel Community east of Crawford surrounded by many pets and she would always love all animals for the rest of her life. But horses held a special place in her heart and she and her older sister, spent many hours riding around their beautiful neighborhood and had good times riding with their friends and cousins. She was a very talented pianist and was very good at playing classical music or doing an old time boogie-woogie. She and her sister spent many hours at the piano together, playing duets and singing. She played at many Christmas programs while growing up.
Donna attended a country school, Hardscrabble, during her elementary years, which was just a short distance from her home, and then attended Crawford High School. In 1971, she married James Dean Ross, and to this marriage a son, Tad Allen, was born. Tragically, Jim was electrocuted on a construction site near Scottsbluff, NE in 1973 when Tad was eleven months old. She bought a house and remained in Scottsbluff for a number of years, then moved to Concord, California, and then to Iowa, close to the Mississippi River, where her brother Lloyd was living. From there she returned to Mitchell, NE and worked in Scottsbluff as a pharmacy tech and then started working in the Scottsbluff Walmart deli, and was promoted to manager of the deli, and worked there 12 years until illness forced her to retire. It was a demanding job that took many hours out of her day, and even when she was home, her phone never quit ringing or texting as someone from the deli would have questions for her. She was on call 24/7 to keep things running smoothly. But through her career there, she made many friends and was like a “mom” to many of the employees who worked at the deli.
During her years in Mitchell, Donna began to help young people in crisis, and was a mentor to those who needed a helping hand. She always found time to keep up with a demanding job along with caring for others in need. She will be remembered for her compassionate and sweet nature by those who knew her. Even through her illness, she kept her cheerful attitude and her eyes kept their sparkle. Her fur babies were also well cared for, whether it be a house pet, feral kitties, or, even a possum. Another thing she will be remembered for, is her absolutely beautiful handwriting. It brought comments from anyone who saw it.
For the past 30 years, she had shared her life with her best friend, Bill Mowry, and he became part of her family, sharing the good times and the bad, and was there to help her through her illness and final days. His calming presence helped her, and the rest of the family, get through a difficult time.
She is survived by her son, Tad and stepdaughter Jessica, of Mitchell, NE, grandchildren, Kuyria Lewis of Omaha, NE, Christian Ross of Grand Forks, North Dakota, great-grandchildren, Aasha Marie and Kaidyn Lee of Omaha, NE, her long-time friend and companion, Bill Mowry of Mitchell, NE, brother, Dale Britton (Barb) of Crawford, NE, and sister, Jeanine Connelly (David) of rural Whitney, NE, and many cousins. She was preceded in death by her husband Jim, parents Roy and Cora, brother, Lloyd, and sister-in-law Kathy. Many beloved friends/Family Bev and Danny Pokorny of Mitchell Ne, Danny Kurt’s of Scottsbluff Ne, And So many more.
Donna Marie Ross
Beloved mom, friend, sister.
Forever Missed/Never Forgot
Funeral arrangements are pending. Dugan Kramer Funeral Chapel is assisting the family with arrangements.
