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Donna Lee Faulkner

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Donna passed away peacefully on August 11, 2019 in her home in Sun City West, Arizona. She was surrounded by her beloved family who had the honor of sharing her last moments with her.

Donna was born in Kansas City on Easter Sunday, April 12, 1936. She was the second youngest of six children born to Roy and Ollie Sykes. After she experienced the death of her father at a young age, she assumed responsibility for the family home while her mother worked. At age 14, she met the love of her life, Norman ‘Norm’ Faulkner. Two years later, she was married in 1952 and enjoyed 67 years of marriage.

Donna and Norm had five children, each born in a different city based on Norm’s Navy assignments. Melinda was born in Kansas in 1953; Dusty was born in Morocco in 1955; Bill was born in Maryland in 1959; Barbara was born in Kansas City in 1960; and their final baby, Tammy, was born in 1961 in Virginia. As a family of seven, they lived in Boston, Puerto Rico and Chula Vista. Her children recall fond memories of their many homes. In particular, they often talk about their time in Puerto Rico where Donna learned to play softball and joined a team.

Donna’s babies grew and began families of their own in Chula Vista. Donna has 14 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren each of whom she enjoyed rocking and singing You Are My Sunshine. She was most happy when surrounded by her family and looked forward to holidays because it always meant family time. She loved giving gifts and always looked out for the wellbeing of her family. She never hesitated to tell her family she loved and was proud of them.

Donna enjoyed traveling. She and Norm traveled to 48 states – 46 in their motor home and two by air to Hawaii and Alaska. In addition, she traveled to cities on five continents and took a number of cruises in Mexico and Europe. She was always up for trying new foods and learning new things on her travels. Donna enjoyed many hobbies, including bowling, square dancing, softball, cribbage, playing Words with Friends and cards (rummy, Pinochle and poker). She loved the friends she made and the interaction of all the groups to which she belonged in Sun City West, especially her mahjong group and her monthly Ladies Luncheons. She had a beautiful singing voice and loved to sing country western music.

Donna was preceded in death by her mother, Ollie; her father, Roy; her brothers Clarence, Roy and Jim; her sister, Mary; and her youngest grandson, Jared Webb.

Donna is survived by a large family who were touched by her life. She is survived by her husband, Norm Faulkner; their five children and their respective spouses: Melinda and John Mulkey, Norman ‘Dusty’ and Claudia Faulkner, Bill and Linda Faulkner, Barbara and Randy Jones and Tammy and Chip Webb; and her baby brother, Charles Sykes. She is also survived by 13 of her grandchildren: Jessica Reninger, Monica Faulkner, Bobby Mulkey, Timothy Faulkner, Christopher Faulkner, Gregory Faulkner, Nicholas Jones, Rachel Webb, Mitchell Jones, Jason Webb, Crystal Lonneberg, Dalton Faulkner and April Faulkner. She is also survived by her grandchildren’s spouses, 16 great-grandchildren and multiple nieces and nephews.

A celebration of Donna’s life will be held Friday, August 30, 2019 at 10am at the Chapel of the Roses at Glen Abbey Memorial Park in Bonita, California.