"Consider (the forest lake's ) silent economy and tidiness; how the sun comes with his evaporation to sweep the dust from its surface each morning, and a fresh surface is constantly welling up."
Endings, done properly, are excellent beginnings. Having tapped into the love that brings peace, I have become like Thoreau's lake, my soul swept clean each day, a fresh surface constantly welling up. Rolf Gates, Meditations from the Mat.
On August 17, 1007 Doni received a second-opinion diagnosis from the lead physician at the Forbes-Norris ALS Clinic at the California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco. The rest of her life was a constant adjustment, day-by-day, to the realities of living. Those of us who were given a view, however limited, could not help but be amazed by her determination to live her life to the fullest extent possible. We are grateful that she is finally at peace but she will be missed. There will be no services at her request. In lieu of flowers or other gestures, please donate to the Muscular Dystrophy Association, ALS Division (800-572-1717 or www.als-mda.org ) or you favorite charity.
With more time available, Doni became very involved in geneology research and the American World War II Orphans Networ (AWON), an association of the family members of servicemen who were killed in action. She reconnected with her father's family with whom she had had no contact for most of her life. She became Editor of the newsletter for the organization, as well as being very active on its Board of Directors, travelling to conventions and other AWON events and this year receiving its first Distinguished Service Award. She and Charlie also connected with his family in Italy, travelling for visits many times. When not travelling, she started taking classes at the Los Altos Senior Center and found wonderful new friends while learning more about geneology research and memoirs writing.
While working in the Bay Area she met Charlie Troglio. Though she did move back to Amador County for a time, Doni and Charlie started sharing time between the Bay Area and Amador County, purchasing and upgrading homes around Sutter Creek for resale and working on Charlie's properties in the Bay Area. They married and retired from State service, making their home in Los Altos.
After her marraige to Chet ended, she returned to residential real estate sales. She moved often within the Amador/El Dorado County area, purchasing homes that she improved and resold. Eventually she decided that a retirement income and employer-paid health insurance were priorities. When she rejoined the State workforce, the job required her to work in Oakland so she moved into an apartment in San Francisco. She worked in the Bay Area until she could get enough seniority to be transferred to the Stockton office so she could move back to Amador County.
In the 1970's she switched her professional focus and obtained her Real Estate Sales License and then her Broker's License. She worked in residential sales for many years, then in investment real estate with her second husband, Chet Allen, and finally as a right of way appraiser for California Department of Transportation.
The world was becoming less traditional and that suited Doni's temperament. She divorced and went to work for the State of California. When her paternal grandfather bequeathed her some money, she took a European vacation before returning to college in the 1960's. She attended San Jose State University and completed her education in clinical psychology, finishing just short of her Master's Degree. She was always exploratory pursuing personal growth through mediation, EST, Rolfing, and Actualizations training. She became a sports enthusiast in the early 1970's, starting with jogging around a track and progressing to a marathon, plus backpacking, skiing, gym classes and yoga.
Doni met Carl James while attending bible college, married at 18 years and was a mother by the time she was 19 years old. Wendy was her only child and mother and daughter were close throughout her life, often vacationing together in Mexico at Rancho La Puerta or taking cruises together with their spouses.
A few years later her mother remarried. Doni became a sister to Bud, Perry, Doylanne and Monte Shoemake. Her parents adopted another child, Naomi. Doni's siblings live all over the country in Oregon, California, Alaska, Arkansas and Oklahoma. Her family worked as missionaries for a time, living in Nassau, Bahamas, and moved around within the western United States throughout her childhood.
Little Donita was born in Brookings, South Dakota where her mother was staying with her grandmother while her father was in the service in World War II. Her father was given furlough to able to visit her before he was killed in action. Later in life Doni was able to visit with the people in the village near where her father's plane was shot down and was presented with a scrap of the plane wing.
