Obituary of Donna Dort Donna Akins Dort, 94, of Kennedy, N. Y. passed away Monday, November 19, 2018, in her home. A lifelong Kennedy resident, Donna was born October 27, 1924, the daughter of the late Dana and Florence Irene Dix Akins. Donna was a 1942 graduate of Falconer High School and was employed by the U. S. Postal Service for 52 years – 40 of which she served as Postmaster, retiring in 1999.
Donna was a person who truly loved her job. Donna served as President of the National Association of Postmasters of the United States, and enjoyed learning all she could while attending both State and National conventions. She enjoyed singing in the choir and being a pianist at all the 57 conventions she attended.
She enjoyed collecting souvenir plates from the national conventions which she displayed with much pride. Donna was a member of the Kennedy First United Methodist Church and served as church organist and Sunday School pianist for decades. She had served on several church boards, and was happy to play for numerous weddings throughout her life.
One of the joys of her life was director of the church choir, and also director of the handbell choir. In the 1950s, Donna was a member of the musical group, The Belvederes, and also The Tonettes, and later performed in Little Theater productions. She was also accompanist and singer in the church quartet, Common Ground.
She was always involved in the Kennedy Memorial Day Parade and ceremony, in which she took great pleasure. Another great joy in her life was her love of travel. She and her husband, Paul, went to almost every state in the United States, and after Paul’s passing, Donna completed that adventure.
After retiring, she went on a trip around the world, and made many new lifelong friends while touring. Donna felt the trip to Kenya was the highlight of that world tour. She made four trips to Japan to visit her family, and one, with her son and daughter-in-law, to the Holy Land.
In addition, Donna will be remembered for her kind heart, generous nature, and her love of people. She enjoyed attending all the various sporting and musical events of her nieces and nephews. Her love of family cannot be surpassed.
Donna is survived by her son, Yuzo K. (Veronica) Dort of Needham, MA, her two grandchildren, Malcolm K. Dort, and Paul M. (Regina) Dort, and one great-grandson, Paul Dort, Jr.; her adopted daughter, Kathleen A. Cooper, and her two children, Harold L. (Sharon) Brunacini, and their children, Thomas L. Brunacini and Carrie A. Brunacini; Laura T. (Donald) Lunz, and their children, Ashley T. Lunz, Angela K. Lunz, and Cameron J. Lunz. Also, nieces Shirley Dort; Evelyn (Samuel) Thorndike, and their children Pauline Thorndike, and Stephen (Colleen) Thorndike. Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Paul Q. Dort, whom she married January 12, 1946 in Kennedy, and who died March 3, 1987.
The family would like to thank the staff of Compassionate Home Care, and Hospice of Chautauqua and Palliative Care for their excellent care of Donna during her illness. The funeral will be at 3 p.m. Sunday, November 25, at the Kennedy First United Methodist Church. Pastor Jennifer Delahoy will officiate.
Burial will be in Kennedy Riverside Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 3:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 24, in Falconer Funeral Home and for one hour prior to the funeral service Sunday at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Kennedy First United Methodist Church, 3594 Church St., Kennedy, N.Y. 14747, or Hospice of Chautauqua and Palliative Care, 20 W. Fairmount Ave.
, Lakewood, N.Y., 14750.
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