April 19, 1942 - August 26, 2024

In loving memory ~

There was something special about Dona Cameron. After 82 years of making the world a little brighter, Dona passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family in Comox, BC. We are heartbroken by our loss but grateful to have loved and been loved by her.

Dona Kathleen Cliffe was born to Walter and Jessie Cliffe on April 19, 1942, at St. Joseph's Hospital in Comox. On May 28th, 1960, Dona married the love of her life, Donald (Dan) Cameron, and they never stopped dancing together. They were so proud to start their family in this town she loved so dearly. Her Comox Valley heritage was a cornerstone of her identity. She loved it deeply and never ran out of ways to give back to its community.

Dona Cameron was warm, kind, resilient, and cheeky. She loved with ferocity, radiated goodness, and was the glue that held so many things together. She set the bar in how to love people, serve people, and make them feel like they mattered. She loved deeply and without judgment, spoke kindly, and gave selflessly. No matter who you were, she always had a warm cup of tea, a bucket of ice cream, and some good advice for you.

Four things mattered to Dona: her family, her community, her faith and her service. She committed to each endeavor with grace, determination, and excellence and could always be depended on.

Dona was the epitome of an altruist. If you had a cause, she had time to give. A St. Joseph's Candy Striper turned the longest reigning Director of Volunteers, a bake sale organizer turned United Church's Women Board Member, a hospital auxiliary volunteer turned Comox Valley Hospital Foundation Board Member, Dona's name was synonymous with benevolence.

Her many decades of extraordinary service and advocacy were selfless, but as the culmination of her volunteerism, she was humbled to be recognized by her community as the 2013 Comox Valley Citizen of the Year.

Despite her formidable accomplishments, Dona's greatest source of pride was her family. She is survived by her husband of 64 years Dan, four daughters Tracey (Marc), Kathy, Jennifer (Bill), and Ruth (Dave); grandchildren Kimber, Richard, Emily, Maya, Sydney, Hannah, Cameron, Alia and Sophia, their wonderful partners and great-grandchildren, Jaida, Rylan, Ada, Waylon, Artemis, Mila and Eleanor.

She was steadfast in the way she loved her grandchildren. She was truly an exemplary grandmother and a pillar in every one of her nine grandchildren's lives. Whether it was a recital, graduation, or competition, they could always expect to see Nanny's face beaming back at them. We will all miss her enduring support and being able to call 1-800-Nanny. She was much loved and easy to love.

Her family was her greatest legacy, and it was all of our honour and privilege to belong to her. She taught us family alone is a reason to celebrate, and we honour her memory by being kind, proud, strong, and by loving unconditionally.

Dona truly made the world a better place; we will miss her and her indomitable spirit. We were all better for having known her.

May she rest in peace.

A service has already been held. In lieu of flowers, the family would gratefully accept donations to be made to the Comox Valley Community Foundation in Dona's name to establish a scholarship fund in her memory.