Donna Ann Spaletta Phillips passed away surrounded by her loving family on January 10, 2019 in Reno after a valiant battle with cancer.
Donna was born July 20th, 1931 in Reno, NV to William and Mabel Spaletta as the youngest of thee children who predeceased her.
Donna graduated from Reno High in 1949 and traveled by train to San Francisco to study nursing at Saint Francis Memorial Hospital. Upon earning her RN in 1953, Donna and a few nursing school friends toured the United Stated by automobile stopping to work at East Coast hospitals along the way.
Before departing on her trip she told her handsome suitor, Roy Phillips, that she would be back in a year’s time if he wanted to wait.
Donna was introduced to the love of her life, Richard LeRoy Phillips, by her sister Delphine, and after much persistence from Roy they married on January 11, 1958.
They started married life in Dayton before moving to Lovelock in 1963 to raise their family. Roy and Donna would happily share the next fifty-nine years together until Roy’s passing in 2017.
Our Mom was a very active member of the Lovelock community while focusing on raising her four children and anyone who happened to find themselves at the Shipp Ranch.
This includes the menagerie of animals the kids brought home coinciding with her duties as the 4H Leader and of course the Camp’s Nurse.
Donna’s love for sewing would have her busy with wedding dresses, school projects, repairing the Courthouse Flag and most importantly working on beautiful quilts with her sister Del and the Lovelock Quilting Club.
When the kids were almost grown Mom enjoyed her quilting store and in retirement continued her passion when they moved to town and built a beautiful home complete with a lovely sewing loft and beautiful garden.
Roy and Donna would continue to travel throughout their retirement taking road trips to breathtaking places like Alaska or just enjoying short tours around the farm and neighboring communities of rural Nevada.
As an RN, Donna was very involved with Pershing County General Hospital as a nurse, board member and volunteer ambulance crewmember working with the Lovelock Fire Department responding to emergency calls no matter the time or weather.
Donna is survived by her loving children; Michael (Denise), Katherine (Alby), Patrick (Kristen) and James (Michelle). She was a proud Grandmother to eight grandchildren; Mellisa, Alexandra, Olivia, Kate, Sam, Jack, Rylee and Claire and was adored by her great grandchildren Asher, Barrett, Remington, Trevor, Kyle’, Braylen and Michael.
Not only was Donna blessed with a large and loving family but also her many lifelong friends with whom she enjoyed lively discussions over many cups of coffee and a sharing of sweets - especially ice cream.
Please join the family in celebration of our dear Mother’s life with a dessert and ice cream social on Saturday, March 9th from 3 – 5 pm at Temptations.
We encourage all to share a special memory, cherished poem or favorite recipe as written keepsakes from the community that Mom served graciously and loved fiercely.
In lieu of flowers we appreciate your donation to the The Nevada Agricultural Foundation in the name of Roy & Donna Phillips Scholarship in support of Nevada Youth Agriculture at PO Box 8089 Reno, NV 89507.
Interment beside Roy is private at the Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Fernley.
The Phillips family would like to thank the wonderful staff at A Plus Hospice Care in Reno for the care and compassion they provided to our Mom and all of us on her final days.
