NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Donna Marie (Duprat) Marsh passed away peacefully the morning of April 2, 2018, at the age of 62, surrounded by her loving family members after embarking on a long and courageous journey toward recovering from breast cancer in 2011 and a debilitating stroke in 2015. 

With medical odds stacked against a complete recovery, Donna managed as fulfilling a life as possible through the dedicated help of her children, extended family, friends and beloved pets Marley and Kitty. 

Donna will be lovingly remembered and greatly missed by her daughter, Tina M. (Sweeney) Lamarre, and her husband Christopher of North Adams, Mass.; by her son and primary caregiver, Daniel W. Marsh Jr, and his partner Roy Moriarty of North Adams, Mass., with whom she lived; and her nieces Maria and Becky Duprat of Adams, Mass., who showed extraordinary love and compassion during some of Donna’s most difficult moments and offered moments of respite to Daniel and Tina.  

Donna was particularly uplifted on the occasion when "her boys" - Joel Sartori, Paul Oleskiewicz and "AJ" Jusino - would visit her to perform live renditions of some of her favorite songs. These “mini concert” events always left Donna with a huge smile on her face and in much better spirits. Another great source of pleasure and relaxation for Donna was her newfound love for trips to Goose Rocks Beach in Maine , where she found peace and serenity.   

She also leaves one brother, Daniel P. Duprat Jr. of Bennington, Vt.; and several other nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by three sisters and one brother, including Patricia A. Marsh, Brenda L. Meczywor, Sandra McGuire and Richard Duprat.

Donna was born in North Adams, Mass., on February 25, 1956, the daughter of the late Daniel P. Duprat and Eleanor Witherow Duprat. She attended schools in Williamstown and graduated from Mt. Greylock Regional High School with the class of 1974. She was last employed at O’Connell’s Convenience Plus, where she managed the Williamstown and North Adams locations for over 10 years. She loved her job and thrived on interacting and joking with her customers and coworkers. Hallmarks of Donna’s life and career will always be her penchant for hard work, dedication and loyalty.  While recovering from her stroke, she often talked about how much she missed working and the desire to go back once she was capable of doing so. 

Besides enjoying her work, she found great pleasure in bowling, baking, a love of music and dancing and above all, spending time with her family and friends.  Donna’s greatest accomplishment was being a loving and caring mother to her children, to whom she dedicated her young life. Her tenacity and perseverance will be qualities her children will always remember admire and aspire to.    

Funeral notice: Calling hours for Donna M. Marsh will be held Friday, April 6, 2018, from noon to 2 p.m. at Flynn & Dagnoli-Montagna Home for Funerals, West Chapel, 521 West Main St., North Adams, Mass. A memorial service for Donna will follow immediately at the funeral home at 2 p.m. A private burial will be held at a later date. To honor the memory of Donna M. Marsh, memorial donations may be made to POP Cares or Hospice Care in the Berkshires in care of the funeral home.

Donna’s family would like to recognize and thank Dr. Michael DeLeo and his staff as well as Hospice Care of the Berkshires nurses and councilors Gloria, Laurie, Elizabeth, Joan, Betty and Jenn for providing the utmost level of professional and compassionate care possible.