Donna B. Vaurio, had multi-faceted career
Donna B. Vaurio passed away Saturday, Oct. 19, 2013, at the Delaware Hospice Center in Milford. She had a courageous two-year fight against lung cancer.
Donna was born March 4, 1946, in Washington, D.C. She grew up in Montclair, N.J. She worked as a real estate agent in Las Vegas, Nev. and moved to Moscow, Idaho in 1975 where she served as the administrative manager at the Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps unit at the University of Idaho. She met her husband David at the University of Idaho where he was a professor of naval science. David and Donna spent the next 10 years in Bowie, Md., where David was assigned to the National Security Agency and the National Reconnaissance Office. Donna worked as an administrator at the Fish and Wildlife Research Center in Beltsville, Md.
Donna and David transferred to the Naval Security Group Activity in Iceland where Donna served as the president of the Navy Wives Club at Naval Air Base in Keflavik, Iceland. Donna also chartered the first Navy Ombudsman Council at the Navy base which provided assistance to military dependents. She was also a member of Icelandic Toast Mistresses. David and Donna returned to Bowie for duty at the National Computer Security Center. After retiring from the Navy, Donna and David moved to Washington, N.C., where Donna started a new career as a tax agent with H&R Block.
Donna and David then moved to New Port Richey, Fla., where David was teaching criminal justice classes at Saint Leo University. Donna then became a ChemoAngel and assisted cancer patients in recovery. Donna was also an election precinct supervisor with the Pasco County Supervisor of Elections office. In her free time she became a public service advocate to improve the water quality in Heritage Springs community. She walked the picket line and was interviewed on local television and ultimately achieved victory when the state of Florida bought out the private water utility.
Donna was an active member of Sherlockian Society of Florida and attended national conventions. For entertainment Donna started the first mah jong league at Heritage Springs and was the prime organizer behind creating the community ladies club. After moving to the Independence community in Delaware, she once again started a mah jong group and a ladies luncheon club.
Donna is survived by a daughter, Kimberly Barnes of Bowie; and son John in Milton Keynes, Great Britain. Donna is survived by three grandchildren: Michael Zink who is a freshman at the University of Maryland, and Nia Schell and her brother Finn Schell in Milton Keynes. Donna also is survived by two brothers, Ronald Salser in California and Scott Cameron in Atlanta, Ga.
A celebration of the life of Donna Vaurio will be held at 1 p.m., Friday, Oct. 25, at Independence Hall, 23767 Samuel Adams Circle, Millsboro.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Delaware Hospice Center at www.delawarehospice.org/donations/memorials or via mail at 100 Patriots Way, Milford, DE 19963. Please include Donna Vaurio in the memo line of the check. Arrangements by Melson Funeral Services, Millsboro.
