Donna Margaret Logan Van Vliet

VAN VLIET, Donna Margaret Logan - born May 10, 1937, in St. Catharines, Ont., transitioned unexpectedly, but with peace, on May 23, 2016, Belleville, Ont. Donna will be greatly missed by her loving and wondrously devoted husband of 35 years, Lachlan (Rocky) Van Vliet, Carrying Place, former RCAF. The beloved daughter of Linda Hookey Logan (Gramma Pluta, d.1998) and predeceased by brother Alan Logan, Donna was blessed by being the mother of Mandy Bonisteel, Toronto; Steven Bonisteel (Therese Greenwood), Fort McMurray, and Lesley Bonisteel (Brian Weston), Trenton. The much-loved grandchildren followed: Jessie Bonisteel (Jay Primeau) and Drew Bonisteel, Toronto; Emily Grant, Vancouver; Lauren Bonisteel, Tweed; Marley Grant (Michelle Bouchard), Kitchener; Siobhan Bonisteel Topping (Charles Topping), Cambridge; Kassia Bonisteel (Cory Singh), Toronto; Kurt and Hannah Bonisteel, Trenton. Great-grandchildren Melody and Abby Lajoie of Tweed and Liam Topping of Cambridge completed her family, who were the "winds beneath her sails." Donna was also uplifted by her dearest friend, Martina Mckinnon. Donna will be lovingly remembered by Rocky's son David Van Vliet (Sheila McGuire) and granddaughters Jenna and Devan of Calgary. She was also always supported and loved by Rocky’s daughter, Ainslie Van Vliet Thomson (Bill Thomson), of Nassau. A lifelong learner, Donna graduated from the first class of RNs at Loyalist College in 1978 and worked at Belleville General Hospital for 10 years before striking out as a pioneer in wholistic health. She studied and taught many modalities, including The Therapeutic Touch, for the Therapeutic Touch Network of Ontario, for more than 30 years, and will be remembered by many colleagues, students and friends. Diagnosed with an inoperable aneurysm in 2013, she continued teaching and mentoring others, living with gratitude. Donna strove to live the words of Paul Brenner, MD., Ph.D. in Shifting from the Quantity of Life to the Quantum of Life: “Health is the acceptance and appreciation of life. Health is not related to the relative state of one’s liver, kidney, or spleen.” Cremation has taken place, with several private services being planned for the future, with ashes to be spread under a beautiful grove of pines at home. Donna has a memorial stone on the walkway at the National Air Force Museum in Trenton, along with her husband. An informal celebration of Donna's life will be held Saturday, May 28, beginning at 1:30 p.m. in the Greek Banquet Hall, 70 Harder Drive, Belleville. A light lunch will be served at 3 p.m. Memorials may be posted online via the website of the Belleville Funeral Home (www.rushnellfamilyservices.com). Donations in Donna’s memory can be made to the Tri-County Gleaners Food Bank in Belleville, or any food bank in your area.

"And so our mothers and grandmothers have, more often than not anonymously, handed on the creative spark, the seed of the flower they themselves never hoped to see – or like a sealed letter they could not plainly read." —Alice Walker