Donna L. Conner, 62 years, of Kempton, passed away on Friday, September 24, 2021 at St. Luke's Hospital, Allentown.  She was the wife of Mark D. Conner for 42 years this past March.  She was the daughter of the late Harold "Mixer" Fatzinger and Marilyn (Glass) Benscoter and her late husband, Sheldon "Sam" Benscoter.

Donna was born in Allentown, graduating from William Allen High, where she was a "Bando" and very much enjoyed playing clarinet in the band. She loved music and had an appreciation for classical as well as rock. She especially loved the Nutcracker and tried to go to a performance every year with family, also listening to the music frequently. Mark considered himself lucky to meet Donna early in life when they worked at Shane's fast food restaurant when they were 17. Married at 19, they built a life so closely intertwined that other than work they were seldom seen apart. Donna's two children, Alison and Chris; later, grandchildren, Everett and Miles were the light of her life and she was a Rock of support for her husband Mark. She loved her son-in-law Andrew, who was fully adopted into the extended family and she also hoped for a daughter-in-law and more grandchildren. She loved nature, travel, camping, arts & crafts and family above all. She was always the family trip planner, usually keeping several trip idea folders at a time. These folders were filled with places and things to do, dubbed "folders of fun" for family vacations. Most vacations were to state and national parks, having visited many of the national parks over the years. Glacier National Park and a trip to Alaska were her favorites. She had an incredible ability to find the good and fun in almost any situation. She traveled with Mark on work trips when possible, especially when it involved more interesting destinations (two folders of fun were of course required).

Donna had many interests and frequently marveled that anyone could ever be bored. She chaperoned the kids trips (enjoying them as much as they did). She coached cheerleading and soccer, refereed and helped run youth soccer. She kept track of all kinds of local fairs, festivals and happenings that they enjoyed. She loved people and brightened the lives of everyone she knew. She was kind and considerate and never spoke ill of anyone. She loved having her home as the social hub for family and friends, putting on huge food spreads for holidays, birthdays and any other excuse for a gathering. She became legendary for her pasta salad, being prohibited from making any other dish for any gathering (as well as all kinds of work events). The family spent much time over many years with Mark's extended family and especially Donna's sister in law Jane Urffer (Conner) who was more like a sister, and brother in law Larry Urffer who was more like a brother. Their two children, Charissa and Seth, are the same age as Alison and Chris and the cousins are also good friends. Countless weekends started with the families visiting or helping each other on a project and evolved into parties and gatherings large and small.

Donna was a devoted mother, grandmother, and wife, an avid gardener, loved to grow herbs and vegetables, mexican food, especially salsa and pico and canned many varieties of her own salsas—so much so that she called her garden a 'salsa garden'. She also loved figure skating, filling many, many VHS, later DVD and TiVo storage with countless hours of her favorites (leaving room for Hallmark movies of course). She worked for 5 years at Phoebe-Devitt Home in Allentown before taking off to devote herself to motherhood. She later worked for many years at KidsPeace in Orefield, where she met many wonderful, lifelong friends; she talked about Jen and Kathy so much Mark thought of them as the three Amigos. She moved with Mark to Texas for his job, but the pull of family was very strong and prompted Mark to get a job closer to home, in Pittsburgh, allowing them to come home frequently before his retirement in 2017. She and Mark began riding horses in Texas and continued in Pittsburgh. As was her nature, she became good friends with their instructor Jess Soisson and volunteered as staff at the stable summer camp, teaching kids about growing food, raising horses and other animals and enjoying nature. She battled Ovarian Cancer for almost 6 years alongside a tremendous care team including Dr. Boulay, Dr. Stepp, Dr. Munns, their outstanding teams and the wonderful Infusion Center Nurses. Despite this long and sometimes arduous battle she and Mark continued to travel, working trips around her various treatments; leaving directly from treatment on two occasions for trips to Alaska and Montana. She was eternally optimistic, never giving up and enjoying every moment of her life up to the edge of her ability. She leaves behind a heartbroken husband, beloved children Alison and Christopher and wonderful grandchildren Everett and Miles all of whom lit up her life.  She also leaves behind a brother, Randy.

A Visitation will take place from 9:30 to 11:30 AM on Saturday, October 23 at Keller Funeral Home, 1018 Church St., Fogelsville. No service and private interment. Online condolences may be offered to the family at www.KellerFuneralHomes.com

In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance, c/o the Funeral Home, P.O. Box 52, Fogelsville, 18051.