Donna Mae Wilkes

Donna Mae Wilkes (Pittsburgh, PA), a faithful follower of Jesus Christ, entered His loving presence on Sunday June 30, 2024. Donna passed surrounded by a grateful family, heart-filled prayer, and praise-filled hymns.    

Donna was born in Teaneck, New Jersey in 1948 to Frances and Oscar Florenzie. While in high school, Donna encountered Jesus in a profound and personal way through the ministry of Young Life. In 1968, while serving at a Young Life camp, Donna met Ronald “RD” Wilkes. That meeting led not only to marriage, but to a lifetime partnership of ministry, family, and service.  

Donna served and supported diverse ministries with youth, women, folks on the brink of poverty, and international communities – providing love, encouragement, administrative savvy, and wise counsel. Donna’s dining room table provided nourishment, laughter, and belonging for over 50 years for a vast array that were fortunate to find themselves there. 

Donna was a devoted and loving mother to Shawna, David, and Michelle; mother-in-law to Patrick, Kathryn, and Jeremy; and grandmother to Ian, Joel, Naomi, Finn, and Evan.        

Donna is preceded in death by her mother Frances Florenzie and father Oscar Florenzie, and is survived by her husband Ronald “RD” Wilkes and her brothers Douglas and Dwayne. 

Friends will be received at John A. Freyvogel Sons, Inc. (freyvogelfuneralhome.com) 4900 Centre Avenue at Devonshire Street on Monday, July 8, 2024, from 5-8 PM.  A funeral will be held at The Church of the Ascension, 4729 Ellsworth Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15213 on Tuesday, July 9, 2024 at 1:30 PM and livestreamed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdVjd0bstSI.  In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to either Young Life East Hills Pittsburgh https://pittsburgheasthills.younglife.org/  or Tutapona https://www.tutapona.com/  – a ministry to aid survivors of war and conflict, to which her son David gives leadership.

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