Donna Marie was welcomed into the world to proud parents Reginald and Ethel (Whitfield) Barfoot on June 28, 1941 in Owen Sound. In 1947, the Barfoot family was made complete with the arrival of Gordon. The Barfoot family lived outside of Owen Sound on a farm. Donna attended Rockview School in the Georgian Bluffs area, and walked everyday to school. According to Donna, it was uphill both ways! When it was storming, her dad would pick her and Gordon up with the horse and buggy and put them in barrels! When she was ten, the family moved to Tobyville, and then to Rockford. When Donna was thirteen, her aunt worked at the Downtowner in Owen Sound, and helped Donna get her first job washing dishes. She also got really good at holding the trays up on her shoulder. Donna attended high school at O.S.C.V.I, and then continued on to Georgian College for Business and Bookkeeping. During tax season, she assisted a local accountant with the bookkeeping. In fact, she almost became an accountant.

Donna started working at Don Brown Appliances, and then got a job at Grey Motors as their secretary. She was here when they were downtown Owen Sound, and remained with them when they moved to Springmount. While working here, if they ever had to sue someone, they would always send Donna to court, because no one messed with her! Donna also did most of their banking, and would sometimes drive one of the new vehicles. However, they started to worry when she was hit three different times in the same vehicle (thankfully, none of these accidents were her fault and no one got hurt). During this time, her life changed when her family grew with the arrival of Cherylann in 1964, followed by Steven in 1965, David in 1968, and Diane in 1969.

On September 4, 1981, Donna’s life changed yet again when she attended a singles dance in Hanover. The announcer asked everyone to stand up, turn around, and dance with the person standing in front of them. When Donna looked in front of her, there was a man by the name of Earl Trelford. They shared their first dance together to Crystal Chandeliers by Charlie Pride, and hit it off right away. On Monday, Earl left for work for a week, and when he arrived home on Saturday, his phone rang, and it was Donna on the other line, asking if he would join her to a dance in Mildmay to listen to a band that would be playing at her daughter’s wedding. He graciously accepted, and the rest was history! The two were married on March 30, 1985 at the minister’s home on the east hill in Owen Sound. As newlyweds, they moved to a farm in Invermay. In the 1990s, Donna was in a car accident, and was no longer able to type, which meant she was no longer able to work. Donna and Earl began breeding and selling Jack Russel puppies, and had a successful business. They also bought another farm, and then sold the farms in 2009. In 2010, they moved to the Turner apartments in Chesley, and then moved to Hanover in 2016.

Donna and Earl enjoyed traveling together, and made trips to Arizona in the motorhome for three winters. They also went out east, and went on an Alaskan cruise. They had a seasonal campsite at Cedar Rail, and enjoyed spending their time there. Donna organized programs at Cedar Rail to have local choirs come to the campground and sing. They were able to raise a lot of money for the campground. Donna and Earl loved hosting their grandchildren at the campsite, and every summer, Donna would take the grandchildren camping. They began going to Arran Lake, and then went to the campsite at Cedar Rail. One day when she had the grandchildren in the motorhome, they had a kids CD playing and had it cranked to the limit because they couldn’t hear it. What they came to realize was that the speaker outside of the car was on, and not on the inside!

Donna was a key member in starting the Festival of Crafts in Tara. What started as a few booths became an event so large that they needed two days and multiple rooms to fit everyone that complied with the fire code! They had people from all over North America to come to this craft show, and Donna was so proud of what she had accomplished to begin this show. She also sold chocolate, shirts, and socks that she made at the local market. Donna was an avid knitter, and had an amazing skill. She was also one of the best cooks! Every Sunday they would have roast chicken, and would host a big crowd at the house for supper. Donna was an excellent baker, but her apple pies were a crowd pleaser. In fact, one night after work, with the help of her children and grandchildren, they had 149 pies!! Think about how many apples they would have needed for this! I am told that they even had 4 year olds peeling apples with a knife, because it was all hands on deck! Donna enjoyed watching old westerns, Highway to Hell, Nashville, and the Owen Sound Attack hockey games. She liked listening to any country music, with Charlie Pride being a favourite.

Donna would do anything for anyone, and she was always on the go. She would try most things at least once, unless it involved heights! Donna had a special love for her family, and always treasured every moment they shared together. In 2010, Donna had knee surgery that changed everything, and she lost her mobility. Over time, her health declined, and she passed away at Hanover Care Centre on Friday, April 26, 2024, in her 83rd year.

Beloved wife of Earl. Loving mother of Cherylann (Keith) LaPlant of St. Fauquier, Steven (Janice) MacKenzie of Oromocto, New Brunswick, David (Sharon) MacKenzie of Invermay, Diane (Mike) Drane of Meaford, and stepmother of Carole (Wayne) Robertson of Kincardine, Doug (Katie) Trelford of Hanover, and Bill (Tracy) Trelford of Chesley. Cherished grandmother of 9, great-grandmother of 10, step grandmother of 14, and step great-grandmother of 18. Dear sister of Gordon (Wendy) Barfoot of Owen Sound, and sister-in-law of Karen Boyle-Trelford of Kitchener. She will be missed by many nieces and nephews. Donna is predeceased by her parents Reginald and Ethel (Whitfield) Barfoot, her parents-in-law Lorne and Lillian (Hall) Trelford, brothers-in-law David Trelford and Harvey Scarrow, and sister-in-law Gwen Scarrow.

Visitation will be held at Rhody Family Funeral Home, Chesley on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, from noon until the time of the memorial service at 2 p.m. Spring inurnment in Hillcrest Cemetery, Tara.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the Chesley Hospital Foundation or the Chesley Community Church would be appreciated as expressions of sympathy.