Dona Jean Morrissette Obituary
Dona Jean Morrissette passed away peacefully on Wednesday, September 10, 2014. A longtime resident of Upland, California, Dona, known as “Sissy” to those closest to her, had recently relocated to Murray, Utah, to be closer to family.
Dona was born in Sand Springs, Oklahoma, to Ralph George Morrissette and Juanita Norris. She graduated from Chaffee High School (Ontario, CA) in 1956 and got her BA from Brigham Young University (Provo, UT) in 1971. Becoming proficient in American Sign Language, Dona spent a long career serving those with Special Needs.
She began her professional journey at the California School for the Deaf & Blind in Berkeley, CA, and retired 30 years later as a Resource Specialist for a 10 District Consortium for San Bernardino County Schools.
Dona spent her life educating and loving children with Downs Syndrome. In the early 1980s, she licensed her house as the Morrissette Home and welcomed Lucia and Sandi into her life. She raised both girls as her own and on her own, caring for them for over two decades.
Dona loved flowers, music, autumn, movies, fashion, children, family, Heavenly Father and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She was kind, loving, intelligent, enthusiastic and hard working.
"Sissy" will be greatly missed by her family: Penny & Steve Rawson of Park City, UT; Rachael, Wes, Liam & Aiden Charles of Park City, UT; Bret, Jen, Lindsay, Garrett, Samuel, Wyatt Rawson & Lucia Graciano of Sandy, UT; Daniel, Linda, Kaleb, Isaac & Eli Rawson of Mercer Island, WA, and all those who had the privilege to know and love her.
