Death date: May 26, 2021
Dorothy Donna Isenberg, age 81 of Henrico, VA, formerly of Lake Worth, FL passed away on May 26, 2021. She was predeceased by her husband Arnold. She is survived by her daughter Stacie (Jonathan Weinstein) Isenberg, her son David Read Obituary
The phone rings, the voice on the other end is a relative or friend in another city or even another country. The news, a beloved relative or friend is no longer with us. It’s a situation I’m sure many people have experienced.
That was our reality on Wednesday, May 26, when Lisa’s cousin called with the devastating news that her mom, Donna Isenberg, had passed a day earlier. We could probably have spent hours talking about our respective memories, but finally had to say our farewells.
Suddenly so many memories forgotten for years came flooding back into our minds. Of course, Lisa and I had our collective memories. Still, I’ve heard Lisa’s stories so many times over our 35 years together I often feel that I lived them.
Her aunt, the youngest of eight children, moved in with my wife’s family when Donna was still young. Maybe because of this close connection and because her aunt was less than 20 years older, my wife feels as if Aunt Donna was more like a sister than an aunt.
Her aunt - no, OUR Aunt Donna and her husband, Arnie, of blessed memory, who passed in 2018 - were exceptional people. They were a couple who opened their doors to us in our early years of marriage. Back then, summer vacations did not consist of flying to a luxury resort. Instead, this amazing family invited us to visit them at their home in West Bloomfield, Michigan.
You know how you meet certain people, and there is an instant connection? You don’t know the reason. Perhaps there is no reason. It’s just there. I loved their lifestyle, their way of looking at life. Life was to be enjoyed, and, from what I observed during our short summer visits, they did just that. They even introduced us to a new orange juice product that had just come on the market – Tropicana. It’s amazing how the small details stay with you.
For a few years, Lisa and I would visit them, often spending days on their catamaran on Orchard Lake. It was peace and tranquillity at its best.
When Jordana arrived on the scene, our visits continued. However, staying with them meant a few changes. The first, of course, is that we came with more travel gear. Being ever so accommodating, they not only welcomed us with open arms, but also insisted we enjoy an evening out. We did just that, leaving our three-year-old daughter in their loving care. We never forgot the generosity of their offer.
As years went by, these magic links between our families remained strong with regular phone calls between Thornhill and Florida (where Donna and Arnie had since moved).
Eventually, Lisa and Jordana headed south for a well-deserved and memorable visit with our aunt and uncle. Both have memories that I’m sure they will cherish for the rest of their lives.
Finally, Lisa and I got the opportunity to see this amazing woman two years ago at her grandson’s bar mitzvah. Unfortunately, it turned out to be our final visit.
A loving wife, a devoted mother and grandmother, is gone. I guess, though, as long as we remember, who she is… who she was, part of Donna Isenberg will remain with us forever.
We’ll miss you, Aunt Donna, but we won’t forget you.
