To Our Dearest Friends and Family,

Donna Flanders passed away on April 3rd, 2025. Over the past few years, she had mostly been in good health and living a happy and comfortable life spending time with family and friends and even travelling to new places. But the onset of congestive heart failure finally became too much of a burden. She passed peacefully while at home in the comfort of her family. The irony being that the day of her passing coincided with her 90th birthday. Which perhaps was her way of producing a truly sarcastic answer to a Double Jeopardy question on her favorite game show for “Most Likely Things to Happen on One’s 90th Birthday”!

Anyone who knew Donna would say that she was down to earth and of strong moral character with a truly infectious sense of humor. Born in 1935 during the Great Depression and followed by World War Two, she came to appreciate everything that was made available to her. Especially opportunities! And she worked hard in her pursuits whether it be independent or as a group with a common cause. She didn’t always agree with others, but she was usually pretty good at finding common ground and forging ahead with friendships and relationships intact.

Born in Richmond, California and raised mostly in Oakland she was truly a California Bay Area Gal! But she did not stay put and as a young wife and mother she spent most of her 20’s and 30’s moving amongst San Franciso, Stanton (Orange County), Pasadena, Anchorage (Alaska), Casper (Wyoming) and then settling in Visalia in 1970. Even though she described summers in Visalia as “Hotter than the fringes of Hell!” she endured and spent most of her adult life in the Central Valley.

Aside from raising a family and enjoying a successful and rewarding career in Nursing Mom forged many friendships along the way. Up to the very week of her passing she spoke on the phone with friends who she had stayed in touch with since childhood. She was lucky to have many long lasting friendships with neighbors and friends of friends as well as people who she met through work or hobbies like her “Bunco Ladies Group”. This lasted all the way through to recent years with new friendships gained from her independent living community. Always being well liked and admired she truly enjoyed catching up with others and hearing their stories.

We will miss Donna greatly. But we are very proud of who she was as a person and we’re certain that she is now somewhere with a big smile. And we can all rest assured that when we join her she’ll have already made many new friends!

Donna Flanders Timeline

Born to Carol Schomberg & Richard Armtrout in Richmond, CA in 1935

Two Sisters Joanne and Ellen

Mostly raised by her maternal grandmother Mabel Schomberg in Oakland

Many, many cousins, aunts and uncles who she spoke of so fondly with longstanding memories and stories

Graduated from Oakland Tech High School in 1953

Enrolled at the “French Hospital School of Nursing” in San Francisco where she received her license as a Registered Nurse

Married William Flanders on April 14th, 1956

William Flanders died 1984 UCLA Medical Center

Three Children: Teresa Ann born December 8th 1957, Carolyn Elizabeth born December 3rd 1961 and Christian William born August 2nd 1970

Ten Grandchildren-Daniel, Robyn, Cory, Anthony, Kevin, Leanne, Nicholas, Jane, Ella and William

Six Great Grandchildren-Julien, Benjamin, Jack, Rowan, Judah and Mia

A long career at Kaweah Delta Hospital beginning in Pediatrics and ending with an Administrative Role at the Dialysis Clinic-Retired in 1997

Even in retirement she found time to work part time at the Central California Blood Donation Center

We love you, Mom

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