Walking On -- Donna Mae Burkett, Meagan Renea Brumley

Donna Mae Burkett

Dec. 12, 1946 – Feb. 17, 2021

Tribal Elder Donna Mae Burkett passed away of natural causes on Feb. 17, 2021, at her home. She was 74 years old.

Adopted as an infant, Donna was raised in Portland, Ore., was a Campfire Girl and graduated from Roosevelt High School. Growing up, Donna traveled to many places with her parents as they belonged to a travel trailer club.

Donna tried numerous arts and craft hobbies in her life: knitting, beading and leather work, and collected skins, hides, bones, teeth, claws and even harvested quills from a porcupine.

Donna loved nature and animals, owning numerous cats throughout her life and a few different horses. Her father once purchased a Ford Falcon for her to learn how to drive. She eventually traded it for an Appaloosa horse she named Cochise. Donna purchased a box turtle from a pet store in Seaside back in 1980, found another turtle near the Siletz River in the 1990s and had them as pets until her death.

Donna liked camping, fishing and especially loved the ocean, walking the beach most days and beachcombing. She lived in the small towns of St. Helens, Seaside, Newport, a farm in Toledo, an RV on the Siletz River and Newport once again before returning to Portland in 2001 when her father took ill.

Donna met her birth mother in June 1997 and began exchanging letters on a regular basis.

She was preceded in death by her adoptive parents, Perry and Georgia Andre, and sister, Lavonne C. Dorning. Donna passed away the same day as her birth mother, Betty Maxine Reed.

She is survived by siblings Lola Gray, Beverly Morgan, Elaine Sihilling, Raelene Cox and Jay Reed; cousin, William Blank, who she grew up with and remained close; children, Robert Burkett, Charles Burkett and Ronald Housley; grandchildren, Malissa, Cazmine, Falconn, Cody, Kyle and Alyssa; and eight great-grandchildren.

A small service and spreading of ashes is still to be determined.

Other passings

Meagan Renea Brumley

Jan. 21, 1991 – March 10, 2021

Tribal member Meagan Renea Brumley, 30, passed away on Wednesday, March 10, 2021.

Crown Memorial Center in Salem is assisting the family, which will be holding a private memorial service.