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Age: 72

Born: 1953 Vancouver, Washington

Background: Retired elementary school teacher, mother of three, grandmother of five. Loves gardening, reading mystery novels, and traveling.

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1971: Graduated high school during the Vietnam War era.

1975: Earned her degree in Education and began teaching 2nd grade.

1978: Married her husband, Robert.

1982, 1985, 1989: Births of her three children.

2005: First international trip to Italy, fulfilling a lifelong dream.

2018: Retired after 40 years of teaching.

2021: Became a great-grandmother for the first time.

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Funny: She once mixed up lesson plans and ended up teaching her 2nd graders about high school algebra by accident. The kids laughed so hard she made it into a game.

Happy: Her wedding day was outdoors under a giant oak tree with her entire family present.

Impactful: Surviving breast cancer in her 50s taught her resilience and the importance of health screenings.

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“Never stop learning. Education isn’t just for children—it’s lifelong.”

“Save memories, not just money. You can’t take money with you, but memories live on.”

“Be kind. You never know what battles others are fighting.”

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Donna believes society often overlooks older adults, but she also sees more positive portrayals now compared to her parents’ generation.

She feels aging has given her freedom: “I no longer worry about what others think. I finally live for myself.”

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Technology: Went from rotary phones to smartphones. She jokes that her grandkids were teaching her TikTok before she even learned how to use emojis.

Gender Roles: As a young woman, she was told teaching or nursing were “acceptable” jobs. Now, she’s proud to see her granddaughters exploring STEM careers.

Cost of Living: She bought her first home in 1980 for $65,000—“You couldn’t even buy a garage for that now!”

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Civil Rights Movement (1960s): As a teen, she marched with her parents in Oakland.

Fall of the Berlin Wall (1989): She remembers feeling hope for a more peaceful world.

9/11 (2001): She recalls the fear and sadness, especially trying to explain it to her 2nd graders.

COVID-19 Pandemic (2020): She spent isolation gardening and video-chatting with family.

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“Imagine” by John Lennon (1971): Symbol of her college years and hope for peace.

“Dancing Queen” by ABBA (1976): Her favorite song to dance to at weddings.

“I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor (1978): Became her personal anthem after beating cancer.

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Hermosa Beach, California