Donna Marie Thomas

Donna Marie Thomas was born October 28, 1949 to Orville Robert Thomas and Lucille Thomas (nee Bush), in Columbus, Ohio. As a little girl, Donna was quite the entrepreneur. While other children were picking fresh cherries from the family cherry trees and selling them to the neighbors for 25 cents per quart, she raised the stakes by using the cherries to bake pies which she then sold for five dollars each. In her early years, Donna was a member of Rehoboth Temple where she was baptized in Jesus' name and filled with the precious gift of the Holy Ghost. She was blessed with a beautiful voice and sang with several choirs in the church, including The Temple Teens, The Young Adult Choir, and The Radio Choir. In addition, she took piano lessons and could play quite well. A product of the Columbus City Schools, Donna attended East High School and Marion-Franklin High School before matriculating to Columbus State Community College where she received an Associate of Arts degree in 1973. She continued her studies at The Ohio State University and graduated from The College of Nursing, in 1976, with a Baccalaureate of Science. Later, Donna returned to OSU where she ultimately earned a Master of Science (1991) and Nurse Practitioner certification (1996). With a nursing career spanning nearly four decades, Donna's specialty areas consisted of Physical Rehabilitation, Psychiatry, Community Health, and Management. She held a number of positions with various healthcare providers and agencies such as Central Ohio Psychiatric Hospital (Twin Valley), The Ohio State University Medical Center, Lifecare Alliance, Isabelle Ridgway Care Center, and Franklin County to name a few. She also assisted in the development of the Ohio Department of Aging's PASSPORT Program. In 2004, she became the founder and proprietor of Bridge of Light Health Services, a home-health care agency dedicated to improving the quality of life for homebound patients in Central Ohio. All the while, Donna never lost sight of her faith. She was an active member of Higher Ground Always Abounding Assemblies, Inc., where she served faithfully under the leadership of Dr. Sherman Watkins until declining health prevented her regular participation. On Saturday, February 18, 2017, at the age of 67, Donna was called Home to rest eternally in the arms of her Lord and Savior while at The Ohio State University Medical Center - East Hospital. Her loving family and friends where right there by her side. In addition to her parents, Donna was preceded in death by her daughter Carla Renee Thomas, and brother Robert Curtis Thomas. She leaves to cherish her memories, son Jeffrey L. Thomas; siblings, Barbara Ann Butler, Orville Harry (Cassandra) Thomas, Jacqueline Finnegan, and Terry David Thomas; grandchildren, Teneece Thomas, Jaquoiah Wharton, Damon Dillard, TaKari Thomas, Daijon Thomas, Chynna Thomas, and Asia Thomas; great grandchildren, Khalil Bass, Jamari Wilkins, Sincere Nolan, Ayomide John, and Carleen Thomas; sister-in-law Roseanne Thomas; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends including very dear friend, Patricia McGall-Steele.