Obituary of Donna Anita Harris

Donna Harris, 73, of Rockledge, left this world on November 26th to receive her reward with the Lord; after a battle with cancer. Donna was a well-known nurse in the area after helping to open the former Wuesthoff Hospital in Melbourne. She was a very competent, caring and compassionate nurse who shared her nursing talents with the community through her hospital and hospice work. She began her career as an LPN in Ticonderoga, NY and later moved on to receive her RN from Adirondack Community College. She went to work as Manager of Critical Care at Glens Falls NY Hospital and opened many clinics in the area. She was predeceased by her parents Robert and Elizabeth Hughes, affectionately known as Tooty and Chappy. She is survived by one cousin, Stephen Ordway of Gilbert, AZ. She is also survived by her adopted family of which she was a part for the last 26 years and includes Holly, her dearest friend, Knapp and Holly’s children Kyle, Karina, and Kaelee now of Castleton, VT; and uncle Bernie (as she called him) Bernard and Beverly Piche (Holly’s parents) of Rockledge. She leaves many other friends in and out of the community and others in her adopted family who will tremendously miss her. Last but not least, she also leaves her beloved rescue dog, Baby. There will be a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m. on Thursday, December 6th at St. Mary’s Church in Rockledge. Interment will be at a later date during the summer at Valley View Cemetery in Ticonderoga, NY with her parents. We will share that date with her many friends in New York state later next spring. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in her honor to Hospice of St. Francis.