Donna Helene Buchalter lost her long battle with cancer the morning of December 24, 2016. She was surrounded by friends and family and died peacefully at her home.
She was born March 28, 1943 to Edward and Ona Phinney in Buffalo, New York. Her family moved to Ventura when she was an infant and it was always her favorite city. As a child, they moved around quite a lot and when she was ready to set down roots as a young adult and newly married, she returned to Ventura for good.
Donna attended UC Santa Barbara for about a year and then began her career as a bank teller with Commercial and Farmers Bank in Oxnard where she quickly moved up through the ranks. She was a leasing agent for Martin V. Smith for several years until she earned her real estate license and became a broker for residential real estate sales. She started with MacElhenny and Levy and soon branched out with a partner to start Buchalter Hill Real Estate. She specialized in both real estate sales and property management. She was later a member of the team at Joe Kapp Realty and finished her career with a second brokerage she started with a partner where she continued her real estate sales and property management. She also had the honor of Realtor of the Year and earned CRS and GRI designations.
Donna was socially prominent and served as President of the Boys and Girls Club, was very active in her HOG (Harley Owners Group) chapter in Ventura as well as being an active member of the local P.E.O., Chapter QN organization. She was also an unwavering supporter of the Women’s Breast Center in Ventura. For several years she helped produce the Heels and Wheels event, which was a ladies only motorcycle ride to raise money for the Breast Center. Proceeds raised went towards helping women diagnosed with breast cancer who did not have insurance.
She is survived by her husband, Martin Buchalter, their daughter Jennifer Wenzlaff, son-in-law Frederick Wenzlaff, grand-daughter Ruby Wenzlaff, nephew Richard Buchalter and niece Susan Kroh.
Services for Donna will take place January 21, 2017 at 1pm at Reardon Funeral Home in downtown Ventura. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Community Memorial Healthcare Foundation and sent to 168 N Brent, Suite 401, Ventura, CA 93003. It is important to note on your donation that the money is to be given to the Breast Center so that it goes directly to the department that Donna worked so tirelessly to support through all of her work with Heels and Wheels.
Donuts-may you fly with the angels with Ed and Ona until we meet you there.