Donna Jane Straessle

Donna Jane O’Brien Straessle passed from this world on July 2 after one last goodbye to her children and grandchildren. In doing so, she closed a loop that she’d traveled for more than 80 years.

Donna was born on October 17, 1942 in Long Island, New York. She was raised in Fort Worth by her parents Allene and Elmo O’Brien alongside siblings Judy, Danny, Kerry, and Dee Dee. She attended Arlington Heights High School and the University of Dallas, the latter on a scholarship provided by her local Catholic parish. Soon, she married and moved back to New York where she had a son, then to Little Rock where she raised a family. Most of those years were spent in the Colony West neighborhood, an idyllic place to raise kids in the 1970s and 80s.

We, the children in that family, know it was an honor to have her as our mother. We recognized that her children and grandchildren brought a certain glow to her. As kids, we quickly became enamored with her tenderness and tenacity when it came to us. Once, our dog got out and barked at a sanitation worker. The man pulled a knife and started swinging it. Our mother, waif though she was, got between the man and the dog, chastising both. Disaster averted. When our father began traveling for work, she lovingly met the challenge to raise all five kids – three being teenagers. While holding down a full time job of her own, she somehow pulled meals, carpools, and care together in a meaningful childhood for us all. She became “Mema” to her grandchildren and a new tenderness arose within her. She’d often provide meals when we were older. We didn’t need that, but it was a small token of her care for us. We will miss that tenderness and tenacity dearly.

Our mother was a complex woman at times, much like a character in a Pat Conroy novel. She was as tough as she was vulnerable. She was as funny as she was humble. She tried, she fell short, she tried again. Such is life when it’s lived out loud. What a great lesson for her children and grandchildren.

Donna leaves behind us -- her children -- who tried our best to return tenderness and tenacity to her in those final days.

She departs Danny, Steve (Ann), David (Kelly), Jeff (Kerri), and Julie (James Wilkerson). She also leaves her 18 grandchildren and two bonus grands: John and Savannah Straessle; Jacob, Abby, Sam, Jed, Kate, and Kaela Straessle; Matthew (Elizabeth), Andrew, and Elisabeth Straessle; Mary Caroline Mitchell (Luke), Jeffery, Madi (Jackson Mulloy), and Porter Straessle; and Christopher, Charlie, and Chase Wilkerson; Caroline Biggs and Kendall Flynt. Dee Dee O’Brien remains her favorite sibling and only surviving sister. Despite an age difference, they were partners in crime. We appreciate and honor our mother’s last love, Jack Schmedeman, who treated her like a queen and us like the lovable ne’er-do-wells we’ve been since childhood. If there’s a hero in this end story, it’s Jack.

In her last days, she occupied a bed in St. Vincent Infirmary with her children surrounding her. It was a romantic end to an extraordinary life as she brought her children into the world in that very hospital. We always knew the loop would close there. It would fill with the oxygen of life and take off like a bubble released from a grandchild. We will miss her.

A private funeral will take place soon. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Catholic High School Foundation at www.lrchs.org. And, if you can, the next time you’re near a church, say a prayer and light a candle. She’ll enjoy the glow.

Lastly, we would like to thank the staff of St. Vincent hospital in the continuity of quality care our mother has received over the years. In 2013 she survived a brain aneurysm and due to the surgical skills of Dr. Ali Raja and recovery care provided by Sunshine Olivo, RN, we were blessed with more than an additional decade of time with our mother.

In the most recent years, we are grateful for the support received from the home health care services, most notably from Ms. Tiffany, Ms. Toni, and Ms. Jalisa among others.

Smith North Little Rock Funeral Home, 1921 Main St., North Little Rock, AR  72114.  501-758-1170.