Donna Lancaster touched the lives of many people around the world, as the comments below will show. She will be missed. Close friends and some who had never met her in person but who were moved by her attended a memorial held in April 2015 in Whitby, TX.
The song, “Row, Row, Row, Your Boat” has been Donna’s mantra, along with the Teachings for the last couple of weeks of her life. It would be nice if as many of us as would desire to share this mantra with her.
Please use the form below to enter your name and email and to post comments that celebrate Donna’s life.
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13 entries.
Donna came to mind in meditation this morning. Her last name. Which I have not been able to recall for several years now. I often think of hearing her share many years ago at a convention in Dallas? or Houston? Mostly I remember her love of life, her spirit and the easy way she was able to transmit the love for life. I am sad to hear of her passing. It was in meditation, in preparing to go to a memorial for a friend today, that her full name came to my mind. I felt there was a link or a message for me on this site. Thank you for keeping a web site with her thoughts and life to share. love and blessings to you. Ted R.
I just finished your book, Donna. I know you've passed away. I'm going to share a Thank You letter to you anyway.
Donna, I found your book, "Standing Tall," at a book fair of used books somewhere in the DFW area. Since I can hardly resist rummaging through used books, I can't recall which place I found yours. Your book remained nestled on one of seven packed bookshelves for maybe a year or two. The other day, I began organizing the books. I'm going to move. My current partner, Erin, is in chronic pain. She has been for two and a half years now. I've a four-year-old son who spends the night with me once every two weeks. He has soft blonde hair and loves to run up to friends and family saying "I'm here! I missed you so much!". And I'm a salesman who got demoted to a non-sales job a month ago; I wasn't able to hit the required numbers, and I'm going to have to start searching elsewhere if I want to continue my sales career, which I do.
-I pulled all the books that were biographies out of the tightly packed shelves that line my walls, and your book grabbed my attention. I kept thinking about your picture on the back, and the name "Standing Tall" -and your spirited smile.
-Donna, thank you for writing all the words you wrote. Thank you for what you shared and your candidness. I have a friend named Brad Blanton who wrote a book called Radical Honesty, and you reminded me of some of the valuable lessons I've learned from him about honesty, and accepting what is, and being an experiencing being.
My son, North, has Tourettes (my ex-wife has Tourettes as well) and being that he's only four, your story was a warm fire of comfort for me amidst my very uncertain environment. I liked the lessons you shared about being a child and your mother allowing you to make your mistakes and figure out how to be in the world -your own way of being. I'm fond of saying, "Everybody's different". And I appreciate you for sharing your experience, allowing me to find some comforting similarity within the difference.
The book I found of yours is signed by you (which pleases me so much), it says, \"To Bettie, Thanks for being a fellow traveler along the way. ~Peace, Joy & Love~ Donna\"
Your book will soon be on it\'s way to my incredible ex-wife, Liz -who I\'m very grateful to have had my child with; I\'m as certain as I can be that your words will be food for her soul as well, Donna.
Thank you so much for sharing about you. Thanks for the reminder that whining isn\'t the best use of energy. I feel warmth in my arms and chest and eyes.
Much love to you, Donna,
I\'m sad we\'ll never get to meet,
~Beau, Dallas-Texas
I don\'t remember exactly how I came upon Donna\'s story but it was through the Internet some years back. I ordered her book, read it thoroughly, and was absolutely taken aback by the energy, the drive, the positive outlook, just everything Donna had to say. What an incredible life she made! She shone a flashlight on her darkest days and credited her parents with their ability to make do with \'what light they had to see by.\' She teaches without preaching. I think she could have added \'Professor\' to her many careers and talents. I felt I had to write her so I emailed her and got an answer back which I cherish to this day. I was heartbroken to hear of her passing, but she left a diamond in the sky and a flashlight for us all to pick up and use.
Rest in sweet peace, Donna. Would that I could have met you.
Lovingly,
Diane Smith
Donn is one of the most extraordinary people I have ever know. One the most kind and caring women .............
I didn\'t know Donna personally but did have a conversation with her once. I found her to be a fine and wonderful lady. When I walked away I felt as if I had received a blessing by meeting Donna. She will be sorely missed. May you Rest in Peace Donna.
Carolyn Fry
She must have been quite an intelligent person and a wonderful human being. I will try and read her books. Naturally, i wonder of her last name origin, being also a Lancaster. Condolences to the family and friends. Terry Lancaster, Teague
I talked with Donna on the phone from Virginia weekly for years. She was a friend and spiritual advisor. She was patient (sometimes) with my whining and gently nudged me into growth. So many of her words are a part of me now. \"Life gives us exactly what we need exactly when we need it\" and \"being comfortable is not the purpose of life\" and \"we are free to experience everything\" and \"make nothing important\" and so much more. I miss her but I am so happy for her.
Thank you, Donna, for what you did for me - even though you may not have known what that was. You are one of the greatest influences in my adult life, and I will always remember you.
I have been receiving Donna\'s newsletter of Bob Gibson\'s work for several year on the recommendation of a dear friend, Martha Moore-Stevens, who knew Donna and Bob. All I knew was that Donna had some physical challenges, nothing more. Reading about her life makes me wish I had known more, for like Nick Vujicic she stand tall as an inspiration of spirit at its finest. Her light will forever shine for anyone who was touched by her presence.
I first knew Donna through Margaret and Hugh Wynne. I have had the pleasure of staying with her at her beautiful lake house and enjoying so many hours on that wonderful porch! I have read both of her books. I would be grateful if she enjoyed me as much as I enjoyed her. What a gem!
Free of the bonds of body. I can hear you laughing and see your wonderful smile. Thank you for attending this party we call life, the knowledge you have passed to us all will forever impact us and those around we meet daily!
Donna I miss you and will always love you. My life is so much better because you were my friend.
I was privileged to get to know Donna about three years ago. I had bought myself a copy of her book for Christmas and was so deeply influenced by it that I sent her a fan letter and she invited me to phone and then to have a Skype video call with her. I then joined on her Saturday morning phone calls, learning much from Donna and her dear friend Marsha Summers, as they talked about what they knew of how to keep the mood up and not make anything important. Many more people have been joining the calls recently and we loved hearing anything Donna had to say. I loved how she would talk about being free to experience anything Life had to show her. My one regret is not having grabbed the opportunity to meet this extraordinary woman in person. I hope that, now, after her passing, others will be able to get hold of her remarkable autobiography. Even if you can't, she's left a legacy of her experience in the monthly newsletters she'd write about "What's Going On," which are archived on this website. I rebuilt the static website for Donna using WordPress, so that it would include her video and so she could blog and easilly archive the newsletters.
