Obituary of Donna Eberhart

Donna Rae (O’Halloran) Eberhart entered into eternal rest on May 22, 2016 at Grace Manor Care Center with family by her side after a long struggle with Alzheimers. She was born to John and Violet (Frankenfeld) O’Halloran on February 7, 1936 in Burlington, Colorado. Donna Rae was welcomed home by three siblings. She was raised in Stratton, Colorado. At an early age, her mother and father divorced and she was raised by her grandmother, Agnes, and Uncle Everett Frankenfeld, while her mom moved to Denver to work. She was an avid Stratton Eagle fan and participated in cheerleading. In 1954, she graduated from Stratton High School. Upon graduation, she moved to Denver and worked for Mountain Bell as a telephone operator. While living in Denver, she was the maid of honor at her best friend, Carol Conarty’s wedding. There, she met and fell in love with Jerry Eberhart and a courtship ensued. They were united in marriage on March 1, 1958. To this union, three children were born: Jeffrey Jon, Jay David, and Jill Jerae. Donna Rae and Jerry built their family home in 1963, making it one of the first homes built north of the railroad tracks. Donna Rae and Jerry lost their son, Jay David, in 1991. As heartbreaking as this time was, they were blessed with five grandchildren, which helped compensate for their devastating loss. After her first granddaughter, Jenna Jerae, was born, she became known to her grandkids as “Grandma Don”, when Leonard shouted it over the intercom at Burlington Foods. She was very active in her grandchildren’s lives, whether it was attending ballgames, piano recitals, music programs, proms, teaching them card games, or even taking a cruise in her little Mercury and stopping by Burger King for a treat. Donna Rae was baptized and was a longtime member of First St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. She was active in ESA sorority and was very involved in many bridge clubs, and played bridge until she was unable to play due to her diagnosis of Alzheimers. Donna Rae was always up for a wallpapering job, as her and a good friend wallpapered the entire Ramada Inn Motel, known today as the Burlington Inn. She also enjoyed honky tonkin and talking on the telephone with friends and was even known for harassing opposing players and umpires at Jerry’s softball games. Donna Rae had a love for traveling, as they visited Europe, Mexico, Hawaii, and even attended Super Bowl XXI in Pasadena, California where they got to cheer on their beloved Broncos. They got to enjoy one last great trip with their family in March of 2008 to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary by taking a cruise to the Caribbean. Soon after the trip, Donna Rae began to show symptoms of Alzheimers and it rapidly progressed. Jerry was her main caregiver until October 2013, when she was moved to Grace Manor Care Center. Ten days after moving Donna Rae to Grace Manor, Jerry passed away unexpectedly. Thankfully, for Donna Rae, her condition did not allow her to mourn Jerry’s passing. Her smile and sense of humor shined through until the last few weeks of her life. She will be remembered for her contagious smile and for bringing joy to anyone around her, including the residents and staff at Grace Manor. She will be dearly missed by her son Jeff Eberhart and companion Denise Marostica, daughter Jill and husband Jeff County from Burlington; her grandchildren Jenna Jerae and husband Michael Satterly of Lincoln, NE, Colin Jay Eberhart of Loveland, CO, Jade Jerae County of Burlington, Erin Leann Eberhart of Fort Collins, CO, and Jett Michael County of Burlington, along with many other family and friends. She is preceded in death by her parents, John and Violet, husband Jerry, son Jay, brothers Don and Jack, sister Patty, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and dear friends.