& Family Carissa, for defining the real meaning of Joy. Your life will be full of joy, accomplishments, laughter, and successes . Look on page 15 for Carissa’s special story about her mom.
Jena Leigh Schwabe
Jena lives near Santa Cruz, California and is the original University of Florida graduate . Go Gators! During Jena’s freshman year in Gainesville, we moved from Coral Springs, Florida to Sunnyvale, California . I remember vividly her stating for the entire world to hear that she was first and last a Florida girl and would never live in California . Well, that was before she spent three years with Donna and me—we called them “bonus years”—after her 2003 UF graduation . AND before we enjoyed a family vacation (that’s another story!) in Hawaii where Jena met Ryan Baker, who just happens to live “over the hill” in Santa Cruz, California . Jena and Ryan are engaged and in the midst of planning their 2008 wedding . The wedding will take place—you guessed it—in California . Thanks, Jena Bean, for helping me to learn how to be a dad . Look on page 11 for Jena’s special story about her mom.
Kira Layne Schwabe
Kira lives in multi-locations: Jacksonville, Florida, Gainesville, Florida, and Macon, Georgia . If that sounds confusing, well, it is! As the publication of We Remember Donna approaches, Kira is finalizing the last minute details of her November 11, 2007 wedding to Alex Hettinger. One of these details is finding a place to live with her husband and jobs for both. This helps to explain her multi-state shuttle . In 2007, Kira graduated with honors from the University of Florida . She is the middle daughter, affectionately dubbed by herself and her two sisters as “the princess .” Like her sisters, Jena and Carissa, Kira carries Donna’s legacy to the next generation. Thank you, Kira, and remember: Your future is bright. It belongs to you. Look on page 13 for Kira’s special story about her mom .
Steve and Karen Schwabe
Steve and Karen live in Hickrey, North Carolina . In my family, Steve follows Lynn in birth-order, giving him the precarious honor of being the youngest Schwabe sibling . For years, Donna and I were convinced that Steve was a confirmed bachelor. Then, he met Karen. Now, not only does he have a wonderful wife, in September 2007, he and Karen became the
proud parents of their first son, Michael. Look on page 46 for Steve’s heartfelt memories of Donna .
Jane Shoemaker, Flo Stafford & Pat Vorreiter
A hole-in-one. It’s every golfer’s dream—golf’s ultimate measure of perfection . I, however, can only live vicariously and imagine how Donna felt one glorious day when she scored a hole-in-one . The golf course was Deep Cliff Golf Course in Cupertino, California . The loyal gallery was her dear friends, Pat, Jane, and Flo . Look for the full story on page 53 . Let me add excitement to the memory by recounting the phone call I received from Donna . My cell phone rang and caller ID revealed the call was from Donna . Her customary gentle, “Hi, Honey,” was pre-empted with a shouted, “Guess what!!!” Before I could spit out word one, she blurted out the news, “I got a holein-one . I got a hole-in-one .” Excited is hardly the appropriate word . Overwhelmed comes closer. But Donna being Donna, the call wasn’t just about her accomplishment . It was as much about the thrill of her golfing buddies. I must confess, however, that playing a round of golf with Donna was never again quite the same .
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