Donna Ann Mitchell
Aug. 16, 1940-Jan. 28, 2022

“You would find my mom sitting outside on a warm and sunny day like today out in the yard, painting her nails. You’d never hear a bad word spoken of Donna. I have always heard nothing but nice and kind things said about my mother. She was always highly thought of and well respected.”

– by Reneen, Donna’s daughter

Donna Ann Lipscomb-Mitchell, former resident of Blue Lake, passed away due to natural causes at her home on the evening of January 28, 2022. She was born on August 16,1940 in Eureka to her parents Hazel (Hawkins) and Randolph Lipscomb. She grew up with three brothers and one sister. She was very close with her siblings, especially her twin brother Don Lipscomb. Growing up in Arcata, she attended Arcata and Blue Lake Elementary. She graduated 8th grade from Blue Lake School in 1954 and graduated from Arcata High School in 1959. She had a great childhood growing up here in northern Humboldt – from going to Clam Beach with her Dad and siblings and learning how to razor clam, to walking up town to go see a picture at the show for a nickel. She and Don were always having fun and cracking jokes. She would grow up with giggles and laughter, and continue to carry that humorous side with her throughout the years.

While Donna was in high school she would babysit on the weekends. Soon she would be a bookkeeper at the E&O bowling alley in Glendale, during and after high school. She went to work in the restaurant there in her 20s in the 1960s. She would also pick up a job working at the logging mills here in the area, such as Bonnie Stud and Cal Pacific. She would be a custodian at the Blue Lake School in her 30s and an employee for Deluxe Cleaners in Arcata. In her 30s she also worked at the E&O Market for some time in the late 1980s and early 1990s. She was a dietitian at Mad River Hospital for 10 years. You’d catch her serving food in the cafeteria.

Donna liked to volunteer her time cooking ham and sausage for Sunday breakfast at the Mad River Grange. She enjoyed getting to greet people and starting up conversations. Donna would be hired on in housekeeping for the Blue Lake Casino. She would maintain her position, finding herself promoted to the lead in her department. Donna received many recognitions and was awarded employee of the month more times that you can count. She was employed at the Blue Lake Casino for 18½ years, hoping to make it to her 20th year anniversary.

She would always have a great time getting dressed up and looking nice getting to take her daughter and then grandchildren to the employee Christmas parties at the Elk Lodge in Eureka and going to the employee BBQs. She got joy by seeing her fellow employees and peers every day at work. She showed great customer service and great teamwork with her fellow employees. Making long-lasting friendships in the workforce was a great trait of Donna’s character, displaying kindness and generosity.

Donna was married twice in her life, to her first husband in 1961, living in Alabama for a couple years then moving to Redway She would find herself returning back home, and meeting her second husband Joe Mitchell, resident of Fortuna. Together they would have their only child, Renee Sue Mitchell, in 1971. Donna would separate from Joe in 1974 and remain good friends with him ‘til the day she passed. Donna would always take good care of Renee, taking her to play in Willow Creek to her parents’ house to spend time with her nieces and nephews. Donna would always help out on her mom and dad’s 8-acre property, helping in the yard and garden. Donna would take much pleasure hanging out with her best friend Billy Goodwin, dressing up as Dolly Parton and the Hell’s Angels, winning first prize numerous times at the MnM club. She had such fun times with her good friend Billy, even sharing being pregnant together and having their daughters grow up close with each other.

Donna knew the significance of being a part of a small town and community, and did anything she could for her family and friends. At the age of 27 she donated one of her kidneys to her twin brother Don, after being told by doctors the possibility of her carrying a child was very low. That didn’t stop her, for she loved motherhood and was very close with her daughter, and did everything she could to make sure she was well taken care of.

Donna would go on to have three granddaughters by Renee — Lindsay Arnold, Sharon Plumlee and Bobbie Dawn Plumlee. She loved being Grandma Donna, taking her girls out to eat at the local Denny’s and Pantry for a bowl of clam chowder soup on the weekends, then later taking her great-grandkids out to eat as well. She enjoyed taking them shopping and going to yard sales and thrift stores with her daughter Renee. What kept her going was her great-grandkids. She loved seeing them play at the park, and making hotcakes for them in the mornings or taking her great-granddaughter Kharmah to the Sizzler to have shrimp. She loved being a part of their lives, as much as they loved being a part of hers. She would be at every sports game of theirs, cheering them on like the proud grandma she was.

Donna enjoyed baseball. She was a big SF Giants fan. You could catch her listening to the game in her car on the radio or getting in the car with her family and going on a drive, enjoying the pink and yellow sunset in the evenings. She would always be up for Yahtzee or a game of cards, teaching her daughter and grandchildren how to play rummy and beating them every time. She looked forward to going to Annie and Mary Days in Blue Lake with her family to watch the parade go by, and also working in the parade at times.

She enjoyed getting to go on one last road trip with her granddaughter Sharon and her two great grandchildren to Coeur D’Alene, Idaho for Thanksgiving in 2021. She got to visit her granddaughter Bobbie Dawn and her son Jeremiah, along with her son in-law Bob Plumlee. Donna very much enjoyed seeing all the scenery and getting to spend time visiting with her granddaughters and helping put the babies to sleep. Cooking one last turkey dinner for them, she took much delight in making her great-grandkids smile and laugh, always talking with them, showing them nothing but love. Donna has always been such a constant in her family’s lives and will be missed dearly.

We had a wonderful grandmother, one who never really grew old Her smile was made of sunshine and her heart was solid gold Her eyes were bright as shining stars, and in her cheeks fair roses you see We had a wonderful grandmother, and that’s the way it will always be.

Donna is preceded in death by her mom and dad, Hazel and Randolph Lipscomb; her older brother, Richard ‘Dick” Lipscomb; her twin brother Don Lipscomb; younger twin siblings Phil and Phylis Lipscomb; and her granddaughter, Lindsay Ann Arnold.

Donna is survived by her sister in-law, Sonja Lipscomb of Willow Creek; sister in-law Donna K Johnson of Fortuna; daughter Renee Plumlee of Blue Lake; granddaughters Sharon Plumlee of Eureka, Bobbie Dawn Plumlee of Coeur D’Alene, Idaho; her five great-grandkids — Kharmah W., Oliver G., Daisy C., Jeremiah K. and Sekoya A. – along with her 11 nieces and nephews and numerous great-nieces and -nephews. She truly was the best grandma, and she was our grandma.

Donna’s memorial service will be held at the Sapphire Palace in Blue Lake On March 5, 2022 from 1 to 4 p.m. We ask that masks be worn and that people social distance. The family of Donna Mitchell would like to thank Paul’s Chapel in Arcata for their services, as well as the Blue Lake Casino and Hotel for all of their support and generosity in helping with the services at this time. Everyone who knew and loved Donna is welcomed and encouraged to stop by and help with honoring her life. Food will be provided by the Blue Lake Casino/Hotel. We ask for you not to bring any perishables of your own inside the Palace, for they will be discarded.

Cards and flowers for the family are welcomed. We thank you for loving and caring for our beloved Donna, and for the respect and kindness shown to her family in this time of grief.

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