Donna Lou Leckenby, née Moe, passed away peacefully on October 12, 2025, just shy of her 90th birthday, her hands lovingly held by her daughter and grandson. Born in Helena, Montana on October 22, 1935, Donna spent a long life defined by creativity, quiet strength, and fierce devotion to her family and community.

Donna was the daughter of Gladys Jergesen Moe and Calmer F. Moe, and sister to Richard Moe and Carol Fitzpatrick, all of whom preceded her in death. She is survived by her beloved daughter, Cara Elizabeth Leckenby, and cherished grandson, Calvin Chapter Leckenby, who brought immeasurable joy to her later years.

Donna grew up in Great Falls, Montana, and later graduated from Lewis and Clark College in Oregon. Her early career in Seattle, and then Port Townsend as an executive secretary in both architecture and legal firms demonstrated her precision, professionalism, and intellect. As a young professional, she lived a spirited life in Seattle – dancing on weekends at the Sons of Norway club, and living in a houseboat on Lake Union, and driving through the city in her convertible Sprite. Upon the birth of her daughter, she shifted her energy toward caregiving — opening a daycare and later offering in-home cleaning services, so that she could be available when her daughter was home from school. She eventually retired from a successful chapter in retail sales in the early 2000s.

Donna’s hands were rarely still: she sewed yearly wardrobes for her daughter, knitted sweaters for her grandson, and created exquisite needlepoint, embroidery, and smocked garments. For many years, using her family’s recipe for Norwegian Christmas Bread, she shared cheery, bright loaves with friends for the holidays (everyone was glad that it wasn’t the traditional home-made lutefisk that she had grown up with in her family home as a child). A natural craftswoman, Donna was skilled with upholstery and furniture refinishing. Her crowning achievement in this realm was the complete restoration — by hand — of a three-story Victorian home in uptown Port Townsend, Washington. At 72 years old, she famously scaled ladders with a full hazmat suit and respirator to carefully (and legally) remove and dispose of asbestos shingling on the exterior of the house.

A woman of many talents and passions, Donna was an accomplished pianist whose stirring practice and renditions of Frédéric Chopin's Fantaisie-Impromptu in C♯ minor often floated from open windows, delighting neighbors and passersby. One of her most beloved community contributions came through her piano playing: she played live accompaniment for ballet classes at The Dance Studio in Port Townsend. In exchange, her daughter received ballet, tap, and jazz lessons — an arrangement that perfectly captured Donna’s resourcefulness, love for music, and deep commitment to giving her child every opportunity to thrive.

One cannot remember Donna without recognizing her special bond with her grandson, Calvin. She was the very first person to hold Calvin when he was born – even before his mother held him – and that bond lasted until the end. Calvin remembers her walking him to Aldriches for treats, soothing him when he was upset – at Elevated Ice Cream, or with a new pack of Pokémon cards. She bought him his first bike, and sent him off like a rocket when he got out of the car, and immediately onto the bike, holding on for 2 seconds, before he was upright and racing forward on his own. For years, every weekday morning, she made him a special breakfast of English muffins with honey, eggs and v8 juice, and walked him the several blocks to school, accompanied by a canine companion. Calvin was her very favorite person. And in her last months, even when words failed her, her face lit up and beamed when she saw him. To witness the smile was to witness pure joy.

An active member of the Port Townsend community for many years, Donna was not only involved but instrumental in local advocacy. She famously lobbied school board members the night before a pivotal vote, helping secure the launch of OPEPO — an innovative public alternative school that shaped the childhoods of many, including her daughter. She also championed the preservation of the historic Pink House, making personal appeals to city officials to spare it from demolition. In the early evenings, she could be found connecting with friends at The Uptown Pub, or The Town Tavern.

Donna loved deeply: her family, her dogs (O’Sullivan, Chin-Chin, Topper, Chan, and Charlie), classical music, and opera. A lifelong dream was fulfilled when she saw The Three Tenors — Pavarotti, Domingo, and Carreras — perform live on New Year’s Eve 1996.  A lover of the arts, she attended plays, concerts, and painted with a local artist group, her daughter remembering frequent days on plein air painting trips with close artist friends.

In her later years, she developed a devotion to the Seattle Mariners, tracking stats and cheering from her favorite Uptown Pub. A devoted puzzler, she completed the New York Times crossword daily — Sundays included — and found comfort and challenge in its ritual. Living just up the block from the library meant a steady rotation of mystery novels, especially those by Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, and Margerie Allingham.

Though shy and quiet by nature, Donna was staunchly determined and deeply resourceful. She became the family’s go-to for home repair advice, and leaves behind the wiring schematics from when she personally rewired the second and third floors of her Victorian home — along with eight boxes of piano sheet music and books that reflect a lifetime of music, passion, and dedication.

A private family memorial will be held in Great Falls, Montana on October 22, 2025 — a celebration of what would have been her 90th birthday.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to The Dove House Recovery Café in her memory — an organization reflecting her commitment to care, community, and quiet courage.

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