Donna Winter

DONNA MARIE (BUCHES) WINTER

Donna died Saturday, June 1, 2019 after an eight year battle with ovarian cancer.

She was born on her Grandma's birthday, March 28, 1959. Donna was the daughter of Ruth Buches and the late Walter Buches. She was the loving wife for 29 years to Michael Winter and loving mother to Adam and Hannah Winter. She was the sister of Dorothy Zewe, Gregory (Rita) Buches, Lawrence (Linda) Buches and the late Diane Ferrari. She was also loved by many nieces and nephews and lifetime friends.

Donna was a 1977 graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School, attended Allegheny Community College, 1977-1979, West Virginia University 1979-1982 and the University of Pittsburgh where she obtained her teaching degree.

Donna most recently worked at Angel's Place at the Brookline site. She loved nurturing young children while their mothers worked to better themselves and had nowhere else to turn for child care. She was previously a teacher at St. Bede's Catholic School and St. Gabriel of the Sorrowful Virgin.

Donna's second love after her family was the the theater. She got the bug in high school and was very active in community theater with roles in Jesus Christ Superstar, "Meg" in Brigadoon, "Cinderalla" in Cinderalla, "Golda" in Fiddler on the Roof, "Miss Hannigan" in Annie, The Boys Next Door and many more. She also loved doing Mystery Dinner Theater and really got into character!

Donna passed on her love of theater to many children, including her own, while teaching theater camp at the Bethel Park Recreation Center. Those children, adults today, often told her how their theater training aided in their various careers, and her own children remain active in the theater.

Friends will be received on Tuesday, June 4, 2019 from 3 – 5 and 7 – 9 PM in the Stephen D. Slater Funeral Home 1701 Route 51 (Large) in Jefferson Hills.  A prayer will be held in the funeral home on Wednesday, June 5, 2019 at 9 AM followed by Mass of Christian Burial in St. Gabriel of The Sorrowful Virgin Parish at 10 AM.  Interment will follow in St. Clare Cemetery in Clairton, Pennsylvania.  Bishop William Winter, her husband’s Uncle, will Celebrate the Mass and preside over her graveside burial.

Her beautiful voice, sense of humor and genuine kindness will be missed by all.

Donations may be made in Donna's memory to:

Angel's Place, 2615 Norwood Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15214