Our Sister, Donna Maria Lewis, was born in Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon, on April 9, 1954, to her proud parents, Governor Richard Lewis and Elsie Mae Lewis. She was the fourth of six (6) children.
Sister Donna attended Abernethy Grade School (K-8) and graduated from Washington High School in 1972. She also attended Bassist Modeling School and pursued a modeling career for a period of time, and she worked at Standard Insurance Company for several years.
Sister Donna was never married and had no children, by choice. She enjoyed the single life and lived in many other exciting and beautiful cities besides Portland, Oregon, such as Honolulu, Hawaii; Anchorage, Alaska; Sitka, Alaska; Las Vegas, Nevada; San Bernardino, California; and Seattle, Washington, to name a few.
Cruises were Sister Donna’s hobby over the last 10 years, averaging two (2) sometimes three (3) a year; she always purchased a cabin by herself with a balcony. She was an avid reader. Sister Donna did not the idea of sharing a cabin with strangers. One of the adventures she chose last year included a 22 day cruise to Australia, which also included New Zealand, Hawaii, the Equator, Victoria, Vancouver BC, Seattle, WA and other stops along the way. She enjoyed it immensely.
Sister Donna worked under contract with Bonneville Power Administration and as a bartender when she moved back to Portland, prior to working with the Bureau of Maintenance, Office of Transportation (PDOT) for the City of Portland. Her next and final venture in the workforce was with the Bureau of Housing and Community Development as an OS Specialist II. She physically worked through July 2, 2015, when she decided that would be her final day to work.
Sister Donna was also a devoted member of Philadelphia Missionary Baptist Church for several years, although she was unable to attend services there in recent years.
Sister Donna Maria Lewis departed this life on July 28, 2015, at 1:00 a.m. at Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center in Northwest Portland where she resided for two weeks.
Sister Donna leaves to cherish her memories, one sister, Linda Mary Scott, and of Vancouver, WA; and three brothers, Michael Eugene Lewis and Governor Edmond Lewis of Portland, Oregon; and Anthony Byron Lewis of Miami, FL.; and a devoted brother-in-law, Kenneth C. Scott, Sr. He oldest brother, Richard Christopher Lewis, preceded her in death approximately 10 months ago.
Auntie Donna was very fond of her nephews Sean Joseph Scott I of Phoenix, AZ; Kenneth C. Scott, Jr. (KC) of Las Vegas, NV; and Michael Eugene Lewis, Jr., Edmond Dupree Lewis (daughter, Emma, great-niece), both of Portland, OR; Richard Christopher Lewis, Jr. (RC) of Salem, OR; as well as her great- niece, Tyrie Andrika Scott of San Francisco, CA. Recently, her great-nephew, Sean J, Scott II married to Sara (Houston, TX), and a great-great niece, Yasmeen Ayah, was born of that union.
Besides her siblings, nieces and nephews, Donna leaves five god-children, Dawnzelle James, Nakia Brown, Tammy. One God-son, Dellraye James preceded her in death several years ago.