Donna Ballanger (Patterson) was born November 30, 1933 and passed April 24, 2016. She will be missed by family,

She will be missed by family, friends and customers for her friendly spirit and warm smile, which she always shared with others. She was born in Delphus, Ohio and moved with her parents to Whittier California in 1945. She attended Santa Barbara University, studying business. In April 1952, she married Bruce

In April 1952, she married Bruce Ballanger in Whittier Ca. She has 3 children, Denise Barfoot (Harold), Ed Ballanger (Cindy) and Barry Ballanger (Mary). Donna is grandmother to Farren Fry (Ballanger), Alex Ballanger, Molly Ballanger and Garrett Ballanger. One great-granddaughter, Madison Fry.

In the fall of 1968, Donna, Bruce, and children moved from Whittier, California to Orcas Island, joining Bruce’s brother Marvin and wife Harriet to grow Island Hardware and Supply. Her community spirit and “outside the box” ideas brought many smiles and some raised eyebrows to those who knew and worked with her. During that time, Donna pursued many community projects.

In 1973 she organized the fourth of July fireworks display, which was sponsored by Edgar Kaiser the first year and later supported by community donations. She was one of the founders of Orcas Family Festival and created the Fly-In, starting July 28-29, 1984, which continues annually.

The Crow Valley Railroad was one of her ideas that never came to fruition. Island Hardware included a travel agency, manned by Donna and Harriet. Island Hardware was sold in December 1992, and Bruce and Donna became snowbirds, spending winters in Las Vegas and summers on Orcas Island.

Her husband Bruce passed away in Las Vegas in 2013 and Donna spent the last two years of her life in a Memory Care Facility in Las Vegas.

She will be interred in Rose Hills Memorial Park, in Whittier California, next to her parents, Bruce and near other members of the Ballanger and Patterson families.