Happy Birthday, dear friend. I know God’s angels must be celebrating you today, with thankfulness, that they have your beautiful spirit there with them. I miss you, your smile, your wisdom, your positive, giving spirit and the special friendship we shared. Thank you for our friendship and for having blessed my life.
Happy Birthday Mrs Cucunato! This year has been particularly strange with the global pandemic - no doubt you’d be helping others, staying optimistic, and tending to your garden of life with love and light. Your legacy is alive and well in your amazing girls.
Often think of the treasure that was Donna Cucunato. She saw things in people when we were in doubt about ourselves. She was the most positive, gracious person I’ve ever known—beautiful inside and out.
Happy Heavenly Birthday Mrs Cucunato! Your family was enveloped with your warm sunlight, beauty, & love as you watched over them in Italy this summer. I continue to be grateful with all my heart for my friendship with Carrie - she carries you with her wherever she goes & I know you would be so proud.
I just learned of your passing and I'm so very sad. My daughter and granddaughter was trying to help me remember the positions of ballet, in which Mrs. Cucunato taught me. As a little girl, I grew up on Cherry Street in Westminister, CA, and twice a week I would walk around the corner to dance class in Mrs. Cucunato's backyard on her patio. Such fond memories. She was so elegant and beautiful! She taught us girls, how to conduct ourselves in a lady-like manner. She would have a treasure box full of goodies that if we paid attention, she'd let us get one toy. She even had us perform for our family and friends in her backyard, on the patio for our recital. Christa and I were in the same class at Schmidt Elementary, and she was so petite and beautiful, like her mother. I remember Christa being a very talented dancer too!
Thank you for helping in molding me at such a young age (1972-1975), and giving me life-long advice, through your dance classes!! Your memory will forever live on in my mind!
Thank you for helping in molding me at such a young age (1972-1975), and giving me life-long advice, through your dance classes!! Your memory will forever live on in my mind!
I think of you often and am so grateful for the friendship we had. You embodied everything good. Your wisdom, grace, faith and creativity touched me deeply. Love to you, my friend.
You loved and are beloved - thinking of you on your 77th Birthday! Just enjoyed a weekend w/Carrie in Park City & continue to be grateful to you for raising such a beautiful daughter & friend.
Think of Donna often and how wonderful and supportive she was of me as a colleague and friend. She was a jewel in every respect.
Dear Friend, I think of you often and will always cherish the memories of our friendship. It is one that endures forever. I will see you someday in Heaven.
Carrie's mom, or Mrs. Cucunato, to me, was a beautiful, graceful and kind woman. Both of her daughters, Carrie and Krista, are just like her. You did a good job Mrs. Cucunato and of course, Mr. Cucunato - you were a large part of that as well. You are missed Mrs. Cucunato.
Donna was a blessing, a woman of grace and beauty. I saw her picture yesterday and was reminded again of how much I miss her and how much she blessed my life. Chuck, Carrie and Christa...I send my love to you all.
I look forward to seeing Donna again in heaven.
I look forward to seeing Donna again in heaven.
Happy Birthday in heaven Mrs Cucunato! You are missed more than you can imagine. Your life here with us still inspires and your appreciation of God's goodness in nature and in people lives on thru Carrie - she sure has a great eye for style and garden design and all things naturally beautiful. Just like all your girls. And she is a true & loyal person - I have you & Mr C to thank for raising my amazing friend. I still smile every time I see a butterfly because of you & I always will. xoxo Love Pam
I was in Donna's dance classes and department at Chapman College (It wasn't yet Chapman University yet) from 1978 - 1980 and then again about 1983-1984. Donna's religious faith was a shining example that I could be a Christian and dance, even though I was very conflicted about it at the time. Her level of professionalism and the highest of standards pushed us to be as good as we could. Even though she was much older than her students, here stamina and focus at the time were greater than mine. All told, I now have something like 8 or more years of college. Despite all the professors I've had, Donna still stands out on the top of my list as the best of the best. I've never stopped thinking about her and being thankful for having known her.
I was just re-watching the movie musical Cinderella with Leslie Ann Warren and I was remembering that Donna was in some movie musicals so I looked her up thinking I might find an IMDB listing for her, but then I found this memorial site. It is very sad to hear that she has past, but to see her so memorialized by those she touched is very heart warming.
I was just re-watching the movie musical Cinderella with Leslie Ann Warren and I was remembering that Donna was in some movie musicals so I looked her up thinking I might find an IMDB listing for her, but then I found this memorial site. It is very sad to hear that she has past, but to see her so memorialized by those she touched is very heart warming.
Donna....5 years since your passing and the "footprint" you left behind still lives on. Continuing to inspire those fortunate enough to have been touched by you. We all miss you dearly.
Dancing at Chapman continues to be amazing and Donna made it so! But never the same without this beautiful soul.....
You are, & always will be, forever in our hearts... each dance, every butterfly, each curious student, your beauty in both daughters and granddaughters who carry your generosity, & your example of faith and everlasting love with Chuck...you continue to make a difference & I am grateful to you
I cannot believe it has been four years already. Sadly, life goes on, just not as well as when you were here. Miss you!
Happy birthday, dear friend. I know your light continues to shine in many peoples lives, including mine. I thank God for you, and that you were part of my life.
Happy Birthday in Heaven, Mrs. Cucunato! I think of you so often - what a beautiful life, a blessed life. You influenced so many of us without ever knowing how much. Your spirit is felt whenever I'm with Carrie... you and Mr. Cucunato raised your girls with grace, integrity, and true beauty. Your legacy carries on forever in them and I'm forever grateful for our friendship. With love and prayers always...
Donna . . . I think of you so often. Even in your passing, I continue to be inspired by the wonderful, caring, amazing individual that you were. You left this world much too early, but your spirit, inspiration & kindness continues to live on, because you made an impact & difference in all those lives you touched. You are deeply missed.
When I realize I am overwhelmed and need a little grace in my life, I often think of Donna - such a loving and gracious human being. I miss her but she left wonderful memories for so many of us.
Chuck, Carrie & Christa,
I can't believe it's almost been 3 years. I think of Donna often and the wonderful role model she was to so many. Her "heart" lives on, guiding so many of us on being a better Mom, Grandma, Wife, Friend and Neighbor. She was a truly exceptional person. We miss her dearly & each of us are better persons for having known her.
I can't believe it's almost been 3 years. I think of Donna often and the wonderful role model she was to so many. Her "heart" lives on, guiding so many of us on being a better Mom, Grandma, Wife, Friend and Neighbor. She was a truly exceptional person. We miss her dearly & each of us are better persons for having known her.
I love you so much and miss you every single day mom. It's still so hard to believe you're gone. You were taken much too early and our family will never be the same. I am so grateful to somehow feel your presence and spirit all around me each and every day... Happy birthday week in heaven.
Donna......a wonderful friend, an inspiration. I continue to think of you often and treasure the memories of you and our friendship.
Donna was for me a mentor and an friend, someone who generously gave of her time to help me in taking over a class she had once taught. Her generosity was demonstrated in other ways as well. One spring, she invited faculty from Chapman over to her house for a get together. She set us free in her garden, cutting flowers and arranging them in the beautiful vases she had. This was a quintessential moment--a real illustration of the camaraderie she helped to nurture among us all.
The world became an even better place 73 years ago today when this beautiful person was born and shared her love and numerous gifts with all of us. She is deeply missed. Mr Cucunato and Carrie and Christa are honoring her legacy (literally in her garden) and spiritually by their grace and faith every day in the way they live fully and genuinely. Happy Bday in heaven Mrs Cucunato
Cara zia, ho appena ricordato i giorni trascorsi con te e la tua splendida famiglia durante il nostro viaggio di nozze. Momenti indimenticabili, impressi per sempre nel nostro cuore. Grazie...we love you, Alessandro e Maria Antonietta
Cara Donna, I was talking about you with a colleague on Sunday- while participating in The Walk To Defeat ALS and in support of a producer/friend who has this disease. It seems only fitting to have been doing something of service on the 2nd anniversary of your transition. Surely that was you dropping by to say hello. Penso a te e alla tua famiglia.
I will be at Chapman's "American Celebration" gala in a few weeks, & I'll be thinking of your beautiful, creative mom/wife/grandma the entire time! She is truly missed, but never forgotten. Keeping all of you in prayer always.
Hi Donna. It's been already 2 years since you flew up to the heaven. Every time I see butterflies, I think of you and say "hi, Donna", and I feel your smile. I miss you, and I love you.
Thank you friends for your kind thoughts and words about my mom. We miss her so much every single day... she was the light of our lives.
Mrs Cucunato lived life with such passion & grace. She continues to inspire all who love & miss her so much. Remembering her gift to this world on her birthday & sending my love to all the Cucunatos
Tanti Auguri in ritardo Donna = Happy Belated Birthday! Just a week ago, something reminded me of my dance days at Chapman. I'm sure it was you dropping by to say hello. Grazie di cuore! Sending good thoughts to Chuck, Carrie and Christa.
Donna, remembering you on your Birthday. I'm dancing with the Palm Springs Follies now. I always forget you're a Virgo but I should have known as I'm a Taurus. We both love to garden. Best wishes and love to all.
Happy Birthday, dear friend. I miss you and think of you so often. You continue to be a bright light in my life. Blessings to Chuck, Carrie and Christa.
Donna, I have been thinking of your big smile everyday this past year. I feel you still encourage me from up there. I love you, Donna !!
I celebrate the day I met Donna. We were young Moms going to Goldenwest College. She touched my life. I treasure the memories of our times together. I think of her frequently and will always miss her.
Donna, a year ago yesterday, you transitioned. I wonder how many stages you have graced and how many numbers you have already choreographed... I'm doing a double pirouette right now for you. I hope you see it.
Today is a year since you left us. The pain and suffering are over. I am sure you are dancing in God's beautiful rose garden. We will never forget you. Sending our love
Tanti Auguri Donna. I can still recall our lovely conversation about Italy. I know you are dancing front an center on the heavenly stage. Un abbraccio forte.
One of the butterflies at Donna's memorial landed on a program - I always felt that the butterflies were signs that she knows she was and is loved. I miss our lunches at Toyko Cafe and our trips to the ballet. I am blessed to have known her - among many others who feel the same. Watch for her butterflies!
Happy brithday my dear mom. We celebrated your birthday in just the way you would have chosen... Laguna Beach with lunch at Sun Dried Tomato Cafe, gelato afterwards and then a walk on the boardwalk just like we all did together last year. Even though words cannot express how much I miss you, I feel your light each and every day.