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Donna Rash
Born: 6/22/1941
Died: 10/8/2025
Age: 84
Community: Grand Blanc, MI
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RASH, DONNA- Of Grand Blanc, age 84, died Wednesday, October 8, 2025, at Serene Gardens of Grand Blanc.
Donna Rae Clark was never given anything in this world, and she wouldn’t have had it any other way. Born in the summer of 1941 on the eve of WWII, by 1944 her dad had been drafted, arrested, and imprisoned before serving out his stint in the Navy. He came back to Flint, and soon enough was arrested and imprisoned again. From that point on he was mostly present through regular letters and less-and-less frequent visits. Growing up it was Donna and her mom against the world, and Dorothy Miller was up to the task. As soon as Donna was old enough to go to school she went back to work; there were bills to pay and a child to raise, with little support from him or the extended family.
By 5th grade Donna would get out of class at St. Mikes and walk downtown to meet up with her mom, who was working at JC Penney’s. She had the run of the store, and the stores nearby, until Dot was out of work at 5pm. When Joel bought the Economy Shoe Store building Donna got a kick out of the old foot Xray machine – she said she used it so often when she was a kid that she was surprised she never got foot cancer. When her mom was out they would catch the bus together back to Bonbright Street on the north end.
Donna got a Brownie camera for Christmas one year, and from then on documented the lives of her and her friends obsessively. Her beloved cousin Georgianna, a cheerleader at St. Mike’s. The cute boys on the basketball team. The even cuter Flint Central boys in the leather jacket gang. Her mom, new stepfather, and soon enough new baby brother. The best photo though? September 9th, 1956, 15-year-old Donna Rae sits down in front of the TV for the Ed Sullivan Show to snap a photo of Elvis (but only from the waist up).
Donna always worked. By now she was a soda jerk at Bowle’s Drugstore around the corner on Dort Highway. Then she did phone sales for the Blue Star Mothers, located in the Durant Hotel, where every month she was the top saleswoman. After graduating she moved a few blocks south and worked as an operator for Ma Bell. A couple years later she met Don Rash, a tall, skinny hillbilly, who was a friend of friends and worked at the Buick. Two sons were the result: John in 1965 and Joel in 1966. A move from Flint to Grand Blanc happened in the early 70s, and for the next 50+ years the Rashes would live on Pine Row Lane. They made lifelong friends with several neighbors, including the Winters, the Byers, the Woolmans, and more. Most gratifying was when her best friend Georgie moved in just a few houses away. The families had an open-door policy (and for the Arnolds, an open pool policy) and traffic was heavy between the two. Don and Donna and Georgie and Andy were bowling partners for years and loved the family trips to PX Barbecue and Italia Gardens.
At St. Mike’s in the fourth grade the nun was teaching about heaven and hell. Her example was, “Now class, when you die you’ll go to heaven and your parents will be waiting for you. But Donna will be there all alone, because her parents got a divorce so they’ll be in hell.” Donna didn’t cry, she stuck out her chin and pointedly ignored her. Meanwhile, Don was raised in a mountain Baptist church where speaking in tongues would not have caused anyone to lift an eyebrow. Needless to say, religion was not a big part of our household growing up. On Sunday mornings our ‘church’ was being woken up to watch Abbott & Costello on TV 50 with our dad.
A decade of stay-at-home mom life was enough, and Donna went to work at Kluwe’s Hallmark Shop in Grand Blanc. Running a register wasn’t fulfilling, so she took a job at Su Allen’s art gallery in the old Grand Blanc Depot. For the next twenty-five years she would manage galleries and frame shops, where she became an expert at framing, hanging, and most importantly, selling artwork. She loved helping people create homes and offices that they loved.
After retirement in the 90s Donna and Don both kept working part-time; Donna with her own home-based art consultancy, and Don taking real estate photos for the Flint Journal. Up until now most summer vacations were a week in Asheville at Grandma Rash’s house, or a run to Atlanta to visit John. Now with more time, and that second job money, they decided to put some miles on. London and Paris (a few times each), Hawaii, the PNW, the whole California coast, Australia, Japan, Ireland, and most importantly, many trips to Atlanta to see their grandson Alexander, born in 2001. Donna wasn’t a timid traveler. Some days she would head out solo to catch a cab, returning hours later with stories about having tea at Harrods, walking through Hamleys toy store, and grabbing fish and chips in a paper cone to eat while she browsed Covent Garden Market.
The Asheville trips didn’t stop either; the first weekend of August was both the Rash Family Reunion and the Mountain Folk and Dance Festival. Don had danced in the Festival as a kid, and it was a real highlight of the summer to catch up with old friends and family. Three nights of old-timey music and clog dancing, for which Donna gamely lasted at least one night, and sometimes two. Corny bits like the Sit Down Square Dance made the city girl roll her eyes, but she was a good sport about it. Somewhere in there they started spending March in the Myrtle Beach area, often with family and friends coming by for some of the stay.
They both retired, again, and soon enough Donna was volunteering with the ‘green jacket ladies’ at Genesys, delivering flowers to patients’ rooms, running the flower stand in the lobby, and raising funds for the hospital. She ended up president of the group for two years, and was proud of the service they provided and the projects they helped fund. She wasn’t good at sitting still, so the gardens at the house grew more elaborate over time. More flowers, more hostas, more bird feeders, etc. If the giant cement planters by the garage looked a lot like the pair that used to be at the closed down nursing home off Holly Rd., keep that to yourself. Donna wasn’t concerned about property lines or fences – especially if there was a lovely lilac bush, a plant to grab some clippings, or some dried up plants for her wreaths in the fall on the other side.
As they got older Don and Donna’s world got a little smaller, but was still rich and rewarding. Travel was down mostly to the annual trip to ‘the music.’ Donna never passed a Goodwill without finding some bargains, and Don seemed to make it to Meijer’s daily, whether he needed anything or not. When that first generation of neighbors moved on they were fortunate to have more wonderful folks end up close by. They loved spending time with Bev and Brian, Roger and Dawn, and Kris and Dan. Everyone was generous with their time and attention. The driveway would be mysteriously cleared of snow, four course meals would appear (thanks Dawn!), invites to get-togethers would result in a beer or something on ice, then a short walk home. Visits from family were treasured, and our thanks to niece Melissa, cousin Kristina, Jeff and Jennifer Arnold, Brian and Peggy Arnold, Reid and Hap, and everyone else who made an effort to stop by.
There were always pets in the house, most intentional, but a few who just showed up and stuck around. The dogs Poochie, Onyx, Chelsea, Trembly Red, and ‘grand dogs’ Shackleton and Bascom. The cats Sybil, Baby, Pearl, Broke Neck, Tanner, and Lucy. When one of the cats died a neighbor was consoling Donna and said she felt so bad for Pearl. Mom said, “Oh, I’m not sad for Pearl, she had a great life. I’m sad for us because we don’t get to be around her anymore.” That’s kind of how we feel right now. Donna accomplished everything she set out to do; we don’t have to feel bad for her. As for us? We’ll miss her sense of humor, her determination, her wonderful cooking, her quick wit, and her ever-flowing well of love for her family. No parents are perfect, but Donna was the perfect mother for John and Joel. She loved her family fiercely, protected us vigilantly, and always reminded us what was important. Whether it was family, work or travel, Donna trusted her instincts; smooth sailing or stormy skies, she got where she was headed. We were so lucky to have her as a mother for so long. Love you mom.
Your condolences may be shared with the family at swartzfuneralhomeinc.com
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| Visitation |
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10/20/2025 |
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| Funeral Service |
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