Donna Rae (Jennings) Houseknecht passed away on January 1, 2024, at the New York State Veterans Home in Oxford NY. Donna was born October 11, 1937, to Raymond and Ida Jennings in Ilion, NY. Donna graduated from Ilion High School with honors. Donna married her high school sweetheart, Robert Houseknecht on August 25, 1956, in Ilion, NY. They were happily married until his death on June 16, 2022. They had sixty-five wonderful years together. Donna loved being a wife, mother, and grandmother. Her children, grandchildren and her great grandchildren were her greatest joys in life.
Donna provided day care until her youngest daughter went to school. She worked at the Richard Powers Insurance Agency in Ilion until 1977. In 1978 Donna started work as the Office Manager for the Agriculture Program at Cornell Cooperative Extension in Norwich. She retired from there in 2000. Her family spent many vacations at Pleasant Lake, NY and Lake Pleasant, NY. She and her husband spent many weekends traveling to Saranac Lake, NY to visit her daughter and her family. They traveled to The Colony, TX to visit their son and his family. Donna enjoyed attending Cleveland Browns football games with her husband, grandchildren, and friends. However, Donna was an avid NY Giants fan. Donna enjoyed gambling and spent many afternoons at Turning Stone Casino in Verona, NY. She and her husband enjoyed traveling. They took trips to Washington, DC, Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, Canada, Maine, Missouri, NJ and Nevada.
Surviving are her son Michael (Gail) Houseknecht of Brazoria TX; her daughters, Terri (Frank) Ertner of Norwich, NY, Patricia (Richard) Ashton of Saranac Lake, NY, and Caryn Wake (Mark Ditewig) of Windsor, NY; her grandchildren, Timothy Harter, Daniel (Danielle) Harter, Nicole Wake (Jon Stockton), Amy Rushlow, Eric (Jennifer) Ashton, Wendy Smiley, Michelle Hennie and David Wencil; her great-grandchildren, Jarrett and Jayden Ashton, Logan Shedd, Gray and Dominic Harter, Appollonia Stockton, Taylor, Troy, Grace and Diana Aponte, Carolyn Bentsen, Jake and Jillian Day, Gabriel Wencil, Dougie Perry, Ava and Wyatt Buckheit; her sister, Diane Parmalee of Chittenango, NY; and her niece, Jennifer (Jerry) Jackson; her great-niece and nephew, Olivia and Clarke Jackson; as well as many step-nieces and nephews.
Donna was predeceased by her stepsisters and brothers-in-law, Donna and David Terrell, and Diane and James Martin.
We would like to express our thanks to the staff at CMH Senior Living and the NY State Veterans Home for taking such great care of our mother.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Parkinson’s Foundation at www.parkinson.org
Memorial services for Donna will take place privately at the convenience of the family.
Arrangements have been entrusted to R.J. Fahy Funeral Home.