Our family lost our beloved Mama Bear, Donnell Tabar, on January 29, 2022. She fought a courageous fight against cancer and never lost her ability to live her life as she always had, full of love and laughter. She was considered a miracle by her treating oncologists. She kept a positive attitude through her long battle against cancer in both breasts, and then lung cancer. She persevered through radiation and chemotherapy treatments for breast cancer, and several different forms of chemotherapy for lung cancer. Ray and her daughters were by her side when she died.

Donnell was born in Lynwood, California on August 9, 1955 and lived with her mom, Elizabeth Klotz and her older sisters Debra and Denise in Norwalk, California until 1964 when Elizabeth married John Klotz who became the loving rock solid father that Donnell treasured. John eventually adopted Donnell and her sisters.

Donnell was a gifted athlete starting with “travel” softball and volleyball in grammar school leading to her becoming a four year varsity starter as a setter and the ace pitcher on her high school softball team. She also earned athletic achievement awards for her play at Cerritos College. She loved playing, coaching and watching sports throughout her life, and instilled that love of sports in her daughters..

Donnell started dating Ray their senior year of high school in 1973, beginning a 49 year love affair that lasted until her death. They fell in love on the beaches of Southern California with Ray proposing marriage on a life-guard tower after sneaking past the ranger station at Leo Carillo State Beach. They were married in 1978, had Rachel in October 1984, and Kaitlin in May 1988. Ray and Donnell celebrated their 43rd anniversary in August.

Like a true mama bear, Donnell’s love for her family was fierce. She was her daughter’s biggest cheerleader. Her love was unconditional and her standards were high. Her daughter’s knew they could always count on her unwavering protection and support.

Donnell’s Mom once said that "no one was a stranger to Donnell” and no truer words could be said. She had a knack for making people laugh and feel special.

She lived a loving and fun filled life, and was a model of how to live your life as a strong, independent woman. Women’s health was her career passion. She was apolitical but her many years in women’s health formed her strong belief in reproductive rights and a woman’s right to choose. She worked as a Clinic Assistant with the Women’s Health department of Kaiser in both Southern and Northern California before retiring in 2012 to begin a four year overseas assignment in Perth, Australia with Ray.

Donnell loved to travel, but hated to fly. She really hated the 14 hour flights to Australia, but her and Ray’s time in Australia resulted in treasured memories. None more than when Rachel, Kate and a group of their friends spent a sunny summertime Australian Christmas vacation on the beach in Cottesloe, WA and the vineyards of the Margaret River wine region.

Donnell's sharp and ribald sense of humor, and the deep, caring connections she forged with family and countless friends has led to our receiving a multitude of wonderful messages and remembrances when they learned of her death. When you became Donnell’s friend, you made a loyal, ever-supportive life-long friend. She was most proud of her ability to help anyone who she felt could benefit from her practical, no-nonsense advice and always positive outlook.

Donnell loved ice cream and bacon, a good long gossip-filled phone call (the later at night the better) and a slew of reality TV shows, the trashier the better. We were blessed beyond measure to have her in our lives and cannot help but feel that she died too early. We will laugh at the wonderful memories, and cry for our loss. We know she is looking down on us hoping we will continue to enjoy life, and laugh and love family and friends, as if she’s about to walk in the door at any moment.

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