Dana McDonald

Dana Rolean Gordon-McDonald, born October 4, 1972 in Decatur, GA to Starling Alexander Gordon and Ella Dean (Hall) Gordon, passed away on Friday, September 18, 2015 at Portsmouth Naval Medical Center, Portsmouth, VA. Being a military brat, starting at age 3, Dana lived in numerous cities during her father’s active duty assignments with the U.S. Army. She graduated from Evans High School, Evans, GA in 1990, and attended the University of Florida, Gainesville, FL for 3 years before enlisting in the U.S. Army where she was a Medical Specialist (Laboratory Technician) for four years. She met her husband, David McDonald at her first active duty assignment at Fort Rucker, AL in December 1994. They married in April 1996. Dana graduated from Faulkner University in Montgomery, AL with a Business Administration Degree in 2003. Moving to Virginia Beach, VA in 2003 Dana worked as an Administrative Assistant in Student Housing for 3 years at Old Dominion University in Virginia Beach, VA and Norfolk State University in Norfolk, VA, respectively. She started her at home hair business, “Glowing” in 2010, which afforded her the opportunity to be a stay-at-home mom while David was assigned to Fort Riley, KS and Afghanistan with the U.S. Army. She was a long-time active member of Rock Church where she sang with the Praise and Worship Team; participated with the Youth Ministry Department, and for a short period was administrative assistant to the Director of Rock Church Bible College, Rev. Mary Strickland. Dana is survived by her husband of 19 years, David J. McDonald; her son, David Zuriel McDonald, 17; her daughter, Kiersten McDonald, 14; her parents, Starling and Ella Gordon; her brother, Gerald Gordon; and his wife, Marianne and daughter, Caylee; parents-in-law, Bennie and Claudy McDonald; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, April and Enio Bullard and niece Aadara; brothers-in-law, Will McDonald and Bennie McDonald Jr.; maternal grandmother, Adelaide Hall; aunts, Patricia & Kevin Myers, Montgomery, AL; Shelane Swain, Newman, GA and Harrietta Hall, Pensacola, FL; Josephine and Lionel Gordon, Decatur, GA; Judy Chigaros, St. Petersburg, FL; Myrtle Catia, Clearwater, FL; George Ann Clark, Chicago, IL; Ozie Newman and Hattie Rice, Los Angeles, CA; uncles, Willie Gordon, Salina, CA; and Charles Hall, Bronx, NY; and a host of cousins, relatives and friends. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the David Z. & Kiersten McDonald fund c/o David J. McDonald, 1985 Ashmont Drive, Virginia Beach, VA 23456 or electronic donation with paypal at djmac36360@yahoo.com

Dana McDonald

October 4, 1972 - September 18, 2015