Donna Mary Roncarti. Suffolk, VA

Transcription

1 Donna Mary Roncarti Donna Mary Roncarti Suffolk, VA Birthplace: Waterbury CT Served in the : Air Force Col. Donna Mary Roncarti, Ret. USAF, went to be with the Lord on February 23, She was the daughter of Mrs. Irene R. Roncarti and the late Mr. James Roncarti of Waterbury, Connecticut. A Master Gardner, Donna was an active volunteer with the Suffolk Master Gardners Association and was co-founder of the non-profit organization, Opportunities for Change. She enjoyed playing the piano and organ. She was an active member of the Catholic Church, specializing in visiting the sick and shut-ins; making them rosaries, and prayer shawls. Besides her mother Donna is survived by her husband Edward R. Collum, Sr.; sister Gena Roncarti; and brothers Robert and Richard Roncarti. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 12 noon Monday March 2, 2015 at St. Mary of the Presentation Catholic Church, 202 S. Broad St, Suffolk VA. Father Michael Udoekpo and Father Emmanuel Mensah will be officiating. Burial will follow the funeral at the Albert G. Horton, Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 4 to 6 PM on Sunday, March 1, 2015 with a Rosary Service to be held at 5:30 PM at R.W. Baker & Co. Funeral Home and Crematory, 509 W. Washington St. Suffolk VA In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to Opportunities for Change, 4400 Cherokee Drive, Suffolk VA Condolences may be registered at RWBakerFH.com Cemetery Funeral Home Albert G. Horton, Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery R.W. Baker & Co. Downtown Suffolk 5310 Milners Road 509 W. Washington St. Visitation Sunday, March 1, :00am R.W. Baker & Co. Downtown Suffolk 509 W. Washington St. Service Monday, March 2, :00am St. Mary's Catholic Chuirch 202 S. Broad Street Guestbook

2 Sandy Muller I was privileged to meet and come to know Donna as a fellow volunteer with Suffolk Master Gardeners Association. She was a lot of fun to be with anytime and a great leader at our plant sales! I will miss her so much. Ed was often at the sales helping too. Thank you for sharing your lives with us. May God bless you in the Opportunities for Change ministry, Ed, and comfort your heart as well as ours. Sandy Muller Jim Sterling Rest in peace, Donna. You made great contributions to our Country. You'll be missed. Jim Sterling Kay Gehrke Donna was very good at what she did and so good at developing doctrine. Everyone liked her. She took over for me when I deployed to Afghanistan. May the Lord bless you with His peace, comfort and presence. Kay Gehrke Kay Gehrke Samuel Byrd I to had the priviledge of working under Col Roncarti in the USAF Laboratory career field. She was an awesome leader and made ground breaking advances in our profession. The USAF laboratory family lost a pillar in our profession. My prayers and thoughts are with her family during this time of loss. SMSgt Retired Samuel Byrd Samuel Byrd M Yaqub Mirza We are deeply sadden to hear this news. May God grant His mercy on her. She is in a better place! God Bless M Yaqub Mirza Jim McCracken Donna was a vibrant & vital part of many ministries while she & Ed were in St. Louis parish, in Alexandria. I was grateful to have her help with our food ministry and to work with her to bring Mass to two of the Senior facilities in our parish. She also came up regularly to help manage the donation records and report for a major parish capital improve campaign that she helped oversee. Jim McCracken

3 Mary A. D. Petrino, DM To Ed and the Roncarti Family, we promise our prayers for you and for the blessed repose of Donna's soul. With this illness, she certainly suffered through her purgatory! Donna was ever the valiant prayer warrior here at St. Mary Catholic Church founded 1795 where she and Ed served so faithfully in the Legion of Mary Society of the Patricians, the Nocturnal Adoration Society and many other parish activities. We shall request special prayers for decease members to include Donna during our NAS Holy Hours during the weekend of March 6-7, She was a faithful servant and great lady, as her name indicates. Donna Mary, requiescat in pace! Mary A. D. Petrino, DM Pam Lucas Rest in peace Donna. Thank you for your service to our country. She was a pleasure to work with on Air Staff. Pam Lucas Kevin Byrd Mrs. Roncarti was a truly lovely woman and I enjoyed watching how much love she shared with people. She made a lot of people's lives better and it is hard for me to think about saying goodbye to her. Thank you for letting me be a part and I hope you find comfort and peace. Kevin Byrd Jim Kottkamp Donna was a true warrior. As a team member on the Doctrine team for the Air Force Surgeon General, she focused her efforts on what would best support our personnel, at home station and deployed in harm's way. Her depth and breath of knowledge was second to none. Donna's personal touches and areas of emphasis are still evident, even after a recent complete review. Ed, thank you for sharing Donna with us, she brightened the life of all who worded with her. Jim Kottkamp Elizabeth A. Macias I was greatly saddened to hear about the loss of Col Roncarti. I enjoyed working with her so much. She was a great leader and mentor to so many. I'll always remember how during Laboratory Leadership and Biodefense teleconferences she'd suddenly say, "Elizabeth, what am I trying to say?" She made me laugh and definitely kept me on my toes! Thanks so much to your family for sharing her with us. She is missed. Elizabeth A. Macias

4 Teresa Maddox I had the privilege of knowing Donna when she was the Air Force Laboratory Associate Corps Chief. She was so nice and caring. I am so sorry for your loss Mr. Collum, the Collum family and the Roncarti family. Donna touched many lives. My prayers are with you all. Teresa Maddox Nancy Boriack I join others in giving thanks for Donna's selfless service to our nation, her Lord and her community. Donna led the Air Force laboratory officers during the challenging post 9/11 years when she served as Air Force Biomedical Laboratory Associate Chief. She prayerfully made decisions that balanced Air Force personnel and capability requirements with the personal needs of the officers she led. As a fellow Air Force laboratory officer, I am thankful for the opportunity that I had to work with and learn from Donna. She was a great lady!may the Lord bless and keep you in His tender care, Ed, as we join you in missing Donna. Nancy Boriack Carol West My prayers go out to all of Donna's friends and family. Donna touched many lives including mine as the AF Associate Core Chief. She was an inspiration and she will be missed. Carol West Dan Harms, COL, MS, USA RET Col Roncarti was the Director of the DoD's Center for Clinical Laboratory Medicine when I signed in as the Army representative back in August/September She was an engaged and thoughtful leader and I enjoyed working for, and with, her during that assignment. My sincere condolences for your loss. Dan Harms, COL, MS, USA RET Rob Bowersox Donna was an inspiration to so many, throughout the lab community, throughout the Air Force, and her many volunteer efforts. We'll miss her energy and her smiles...she was our mentor, leader, and friend. Indeed, " I am thankful for the opportunity that I had to work with and learn from Donna. She was a great lady!" Donna, you did touch so many lives, my thoughts and prayers to you and your family. Rob Bowersox

5 Cee David Condolences to the family and friends of Donna Roncarti, may all of you find solace at this time. God promises us at 1Peter 5:7 :"while you throw all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.." He cares,so therefore throw all of your anxieties on him,and allow him to help you. Cee David Michael Dempsey Donna was a true patriot, leader, mentor, and friend...to name just a few roles she played in my own Air Force career and personal development. Though she is sorely missed, may she rest in peace in the presence of Jesus her Savior! May He comfort her family and all of us at this time of sorrow. Michael Dempsey Susan Braford As a brand new member of the Suffolk Master Gardeners Association, I heard of Donna long before I met her at the Spring plant sale. We talked briefly and she told me about the "Opportunities for Change". She has been in our prayers, and now our prayers will center on the family, because I know Donna is totally healed and no longer in pain now. May you find comfort in God's abiding spirit. Susan Braford Rose Scrase Mentor and friend...my privilege and honor to have known and served with this great lady. She once wrote me a note with words that I will return to her with love and condolences..."feel better now?" Rose Scrase Linda & Tom Ashe Donna Roncarti was a volunteer at The Well Retreat Center and came eagerly to spend time in the maintenance and beautification of the property. When Tom and I left The Well Donna and Ed came and helped us pack our belongings, encouraged us when we were down and coached us and packed the moving truck and actually stored the stuff that we didn't have room to take with us. Donna and Ed were our angels. We couldn't have done the job without them. Now Donna is "our angel in heaven". We are grateful that God sent her to us and so many others. May you rest in the loving arms of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Till we meet again in His garden. Peace and Love be with you and your family. Linda & Tom Ashe Linda & Tom Ashe

6 Marybeth Luna I remember meeting Col Roncarti at Walter Reed. She asked me to walk to her right because she couldn't hear out of her left ear very awkward because we were both in uniform. Then, she asked me to speak loudly as we spoke. Imagine that: a subordinate officer yelling at a Colonel on an Army post! Col Roncarti, you were a inspiration to all of us. May God bless your soul and bring comfort to your friends and family. Marybeth Luna Nathan Johnson Col Roncarti's positive impact on the AF, AFMS, BSC, and the AF lab community continues to be felt. She was an outstanding leader, officer, and most importantly she was one of the best persons any of us will ever know. She always left me with a smile on my face to include the last time we talked several months ago. You will be greatly missed! Nathan Johnson Kevin Jungman Colonel Roncarti was a great person that came into my life about one year ago. She was always positive and uplifting. I am grateful to have known her and spent time with her. Thank you for your devoted service to our great country. The world has been a better place having known you. May God bless and keep her at His side and look after the rest of her family. Kevin Jungman rick & christine mcbride I had both the pleasure and privilege of working for Col Roncarti while she was the PACAF Laboratory Consultant, BSC Executive and Laboratory Flight Commander at Elmendorf AFB Alaska. She was certainly a breath of fresh air that raised the morale of the entire flight from the moment she arrived. She had an amazing ability to let a somewhat rambunctious Major at times know through her facial expression when it was time to shut up and sit down. Stern but in a caring, compassionate way. Breakfast tacos. She would cook breakfast tacos for the entire flight at 6 in the morning in the break room! I will never forget the indelible mark she made on me and my career. A true officer and a lady. Quite sure she is giving St Peter that same look at the pearly gates right now. Rest in peace Ma'am. You will be missed by many. Too many to count. rick & christine mcbride

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