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"He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." Psalm 91:2
Donna Kay Gambrell Alexander was born April 14, 1953 to Dr. and Mrs. William Mooney Gambrell, Jr. in Luling, TX. She later moved with her family to Texas City and the Galveston area where her childhood was filled with fishing, boating, riding bikes on the sea wall, catching crabs, sleeping on the front porch of their beach home and deep sea fishing. She passed away peacefully on February 7, 2023, surrounded by her loving family after a long and brave battle with ovarian cancer.
Donna attended Our Lady of the Fatima Catholic School and then O'Connell Catholic High School in Galveston. She graduated from Tivy High School in 1971 after moving to Kerrville with her family. She studied nursing prerequisites at Southwest Texas State University and attended the University of Texas School of Nursing and graduated from Odessa School of Nursing in 1977. She practiced nursing in many different areas including med/surg, orthopedics, neuro, substance abuse, long term care, home health and psychiatric forensics. She retired from nursing in 2018 and continued to feel called to care for those in need and began working as a caregiver in the homes of the elderly who needed help and companionship.
Donna was a member of First United Methodist Church and an active member of their sewing ministry. She loved to garden, quilt, sew, bake, cook, work puzzles, play card and board games, travel, cruise and read. Holidays and other special times were spent at her house with family along with her delicious meals and desserts. Donna is known by her family to be the best cook and baker. Her home and backyard were filled with family and always included playing spikeball, basketball, badminton, scavenger hunts and obstacle courses where laughter and good times were felt by all. Many other out of town family trips included vacations to Port Aransas, Galveston, mother daughter weekends and family vacations in Colorado.
Donna was preceded in death by her parents, Dr. and Mrs. William M. Gambrell Jr.; and her nephew, Sam Gambrell.
She is survived by her siblings, Nita (Keith) Williams of Conroe, Sharon Mussey of Buda and Bill (Courtney) Gambrell of Berthoud, CO; her beloved daughters, Mandy (Shane) Heffernan, Stephanie (Regan) Land, Courtney Wilkerson; and her grandchildren, Peyton (Sarah) Russ, Cade Heffernan, Macy Land, Zachary Land, Brandon Land, Hailey Wilkerson and Keagan Moore, of Kerrville; and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews in Missouri, Colorado and Texas.
Courtney Gambrell, sister-in-law and friend of Ms. Alexander will officiate the funeral ceremony. Service will be held at 2 PM, Friday, February 17, 2023 at First United Methodist Church, with private burial for family only.
In lieu of flowers, please send gifts to the American Cancer Society.
Thank you to Peterson Hospice for all they did to ease the burden and provide comfort in her final days.
Donna Kay Gambrell Alexander was born April 14, 1953 to Dr. and Mrs. William Mooney Gambrell, Jr. in Luling, TX. She later moved with her family to Texas City and the Galveston area where her childhood was filled with fishing, boating, riding bikes on the sea wall, catching crabs, sleeping on the front porch of their beach home and deep sea fishing. She passed away peacefully on February 7, 2023, surrounded by her loving family after a long and brave battle with ovarian cancer.
Donna attended Our Lady of the Fatima Catholic School and then O'Connell Catholic High School in Galveston. She graduated from Tivy High School in 1971 after moving to Kerrville with her family. She studied nursing prerequisites at Southwest Texas State University and attended the University of Texas School of Nursing and graduated from Odessa School of Nursing in 1977. She practiced nursing in many different areas including med/surg, orthopedics, neuro, substance abuse, long term care, home health and psychiatric forensics. She retired from nursing in 2018 and continued to feel called to care for those in need and began working as a caregiver in the homes of the elderly who needed help and companionship.
Donna was a member of First United Methodist Church and an active member of their sewing ministry. She loved to garden, quilt, sew, bake, cook, work puzzles, play card and board games, travel, cruise and read. Holidays and other special times were spent at her house with family along with her delicious meals and desserts. Donna is known by her family to be the best cook and baker. Her home and backyard were filled with family and always included playing spikeball, basketball, badminton, scavenger hunts and obstacle courses where laughter and good times were felt by all. Many other out of town family trips included vacations to Port Aransas, Galveston, mother daughter weekends and family vacations in Colorado.
Donna was preceded in death by her parents, Dr. and Mrs. William M. Gambrell Jr.; and her nephew, Sam Gambrell.
She is survived by her siblings, Nita (Keith) Williams of Conroe, Sharon Mussey of Buda and Bill (Courtney) Gambrell of Berthoud, CO; her beloved daughters, Mandy (Shane) Heffernan, Stephanie (Regan) Land, Courtney Wilkerson; and her grandchildren, Peyton (Sarah) Russ, Cade Heffernan, Macy Land, Zachary Land, Brandon Land, Hailey Wilkerson and Keagan Moore, of Kerrville; and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews in Missouri, Colorado and Texas.
Courtney Gambrell, sister-in-law and friend of Ms. Alexander will officiate the funeral ceremony. Service will be held at 2 PM, Friday, February 17, 2023 at First United Methodist Church, with private burial for family only.
In lieu of flowers, please send gifts to the American Cancer Society.
Thank you to Peterson Hospice for all they did to ease the burden and provide comfort in her final days.