Donna Mae Ambuehl
January 12, 1933 – July 10, 2026
Donna Mae Ambuehl left this world on July 10, 2026. She is off to join her husband Andy on their next adventure in the heavenly realm. The two nearly made it to 72 years of marriage until Andy’s death in 2023.
An angel here on earth, Donna was a delightful person, always quick to share a kind word, a smile, a loving glance to all around her – friend and stranger alike.
Donna was born on January 12, 1933 to Olga and Frank Patterson. She spent her formative years in Tacoma, WA, and graduated there from Lincoln High School. While a senior in high school, Donna met her future husband through her older sister Marilyn’s boyfriend, Paul. Paul had brought his best friend Andy over and the three were planning to go golfing and decided to invite Donna along. On that first “date”, while Andy was trying to teach Donna how to golf, Donna hit Andy over the head with her golf club which rendered him highly susceptible to her beguiling powers. And the rest is history!
The two became one when they joined their lives together in holy matrimony in 1951. They welcomed their son Randy in 1953, and their daughter Cathy in 1955. The family of four would enjoy many adventures together, from camping trips to the Canadian provinces, to exploring abandoned mining towns and panning for gold in Idaho.
The Ambuehls moved a lot! They started out in Fife WA, then on to Havre, MT, Missoula MT, Boise ID, Eagle, ID, Walla Walla, WA, Tillamook, OR, Netarts, OR, and Everson, WA.
Then there was the beach house on Gooseberry Point, and finally they built their forever home in Birch Bay Village where they managed to stay put in one place for over 30 years.
With every move, Donna put her stamp on each dwelling, making each one different, and also making each and every one a beautiful place for her family to call home sweet home.
Easy to make friends, Donna left a wake of them from every place that they touched down.
In their retirement years, Donna and Andy, in a variety of their trusty RVs, traveled and explored as far east as Prince Edward Island. They also enjoyed several grand adventures abroad to England, Denmark, Switzerland, and Germany, trading houses with the people who lived there.
After Andy’s death in 2023, Donna moved to Port Townsend to be near her daughter. Living at Victoria Place Assisted Living, Donna enjoyed the tender loving care of their many sweet caregivers.
Donna was also preceded in death by her parents, and her sister Marilyn. She is survived by her beloved grand doggie Posey, her sister Gail of Florida, her favorite son Randy, her favorite daughter Cathy and son-in-law Steve, grandchildren Logan, Anna, and Lucas, great grandchildren Riley, Abigail, Silas, and Kyja, and by the multitudes of people who loved her.
