Donna Marie Bequette

DONNA MARIE (THOMPSON) BEQUETTE July 13, 1925 ~ January 2, 2018 Donna Bequette (92) died peacefully at her home on January 2, 2018. She was born in Vancouver, WA on July 13, 1925, to Melvin and Julia Thompson. During World War II, she met her husband, Anthony Bequette, who was the post photographer at Fort Vancouver. The two fell in love, married in 1943 and became lifelong hunting and fishing partners. Donna and Tony built their house themselves and their home became a place where extended family gathered often for work, meals and celebrations. Donna earned Associate degrees from Clark College as an LPN and RN while raising her family and helping her husband with his work. Her most challenging and fulfilling position was as an RN/Certified Emergency Nurse, and she worked for many years in the Emergency Room at Southwest Washington Hospitals. Her bonds with other ER nurses became lasting friendships. She was an adventurous soul who lived a responsible life. She loved her flower and produce gardens, fishing, hunting, picking huckleberries and mushrooms, and most of all, enjoying nature with her family. She was a three-time cancer survivor and taught by example; sharing values of hard work, self-sufficiency and caring for others. Donna is survived by six children: Pamela Tuomi, Anthony Bequette II, Stephen Bequette, Penelope Ramey, Jeanine Falter and Wayne Bequette and by 14 grand and 18 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband Tony and their son Dennis. Her funeral Mass will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday January 10, 2018 at St. Joseph's Catholic Church Vancouver with a grave side service to follow at 12:30 p.m. at the Evergreen Memorial Gardens Cemetery. There will be an opportunity for informal visitation at Evergreen Memorial Gardens Funeral Home from 5 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, January 9, 2018 and a Memorial gathering at the social hall there from 1 to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, January 10, 2018. Memorial donations may be sent to the St. Vincent DePaul Society or St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Vancouver or to Camp Sunshine (www.campsunshine.org). Please sign her guestbook at www.columbian.com/obits

Donna Marie Bequette

July 13, 1925 - January 2, 2018