Donna V. (Voss) Toelke, age 55, a longtime resident of Winchester, formerly of Rochester, NH, passed away on January 8, 2021, peacefully at home with her family and in her husband’s arms after a valiant battle with cancer. She was the beloved wife of Richard A. Toelke.
Born and raised in Rochester, New Hampshire, Donna was the daughter of Thomas E. Voss and the late Margaret G. Carroll. She graduated in the top of her class from Spaulding High School in Rochester, and furthered her education at Boston College and UConn Law School. Donna specialized in trusts and estates law and started her professional legal career at Cleveland Waters and Bass in Concord, NH before joining State Street Bank in Boston in the early 90s.
Donna met the love of her life during her first semester at BC (Rich ’86; Donna ’87) with Rich immediately developing a serious crush on Donna. Although they did not officially become a couple at the Heights, the spark was lit. As they both started to pursue their professional careers, Rich and Donna briefly lost track of each other for a couple years. But one blessed night in December, 1991, Rich’s friends spotted Donna in Faneuil Hall during a night out, and knowing his fondness for her, raced ahead to tell Rich who was waiting for them at a bar. Rich sprinted to Donna immediately, scribbling down her phone number and making a plan to get together. The courtship was officially on, culminating in their marriage in June, 1995.
Donna and Rich lived in Charlestown for several years before starting a family and moving to Winchester in 2002. Although Donna was an accomplished lawyer, her true calling was as a dedicated and loving mom and wife and she soon left the practice of law to pursue this full-time; and she more than succeeded at creating a home in which love and warmth were palpable. Donna lived for her family and took enormous pride in her three children (Richie, Sam and Margaret). She was a constant presence in their lives. At any given time, in addition to never missing one of their sporting events, school events or other activities, Donna could be found volunteering in each of their classrooms, teaching CCD at St. Mary’s parish, organizing and coordinating food deliveries to the Woburn Food Pantry and engaging in countless other charitable endeavors. Her extraordinary enthusiasm and energized approach to her children’s education, activities and her availability to lend a hand or spearhead any community project earned her the reputation as an engaging, dependable and passionate community volunteer.
Donna cherished family time together and some of her happiest memories were made at annual family vacations in Brewster (bike riding on the Cape Cod Rail Trail and swimming in Seymour Pond) and the Samoset Resort in Rockport, Maine; on day trips up to her father’s house on Bradley Lake in Andover, NH; and on special family trips to St. John in the Virgin Islands, London, Paris, and a trip through Positano, Florence and Rome. Donna’s spirit will live on in all these places.
Donna was a wonderful woman with the biggest heart in the world and people were instantly drawn to her due to her love, kindness, thoughtfulness and humor. This was evidenced through her amazing wealth of friends from all stages of her life; from the Spaulding girls in Rochester; to her BC roommates; to her friendships developed while at UConn Law; to her friends from her professional career in Concord and Boston; and finally to her expansive group of tight-knit friends from Winchester. Our family will be forever grateful to these life-long friends for the incredible display of love and support that they showed Donna and our entire family during her illness.
Donna was a talented chef, inspired by Ina Garten and other Food Network chefs, and spoiled her family with her culinary creations. She was an avid reader and enjoyed spending time with her book group discussing not only books but also solving all the world’s problems. Donna was also a political junkie with CNN on in the background at all times; let’s just say that she was pleased with the election results this year. Donna was a Red Sox fan and enjoyed going to Fenway Park with her family; in fact, Rich and Donna were engaged on the field at Fenway Park after a game thanks to an unsuspecting but cooperative security guard. Donna also enjoyed walks in the Middlesex Fells with her beloved shelter dog and loyal companion, Daisy.
In addition to her husband, Rich, her children, Richie, Sam and Margaret, all of Winchester, and her father, Tom Voss (Rae) of Andover, NH, Donna is lovingly survived by her siblings: Rick Voss, Judi Brown (Duane), and Ken Voss, all of Rochester, a step-brother Rob Bossi and his son Charlie, of New London, NH. She was predeceased by a brother Greg Voss (Laurie), also of Rochester.
Donna also leaves behind her mother-in-law, Mary Toelke, of Philadelphia, sisters-in-law Elizabeth Odeen (Marshall) of Ridgefield, CT and Jennifer Liang (Ted) of New York, NY, and many nieces and nephews: Bethany Fletcher (Dan), Brittany Voss (fiancé Dan Arnault), Andrew Voss, Tommy and Teaghan Brown, John and Sarah Odeen, Sophie and Will Liang; great-nephews Chase and Colton Fletcher; and was the cherished niece of Laura “Loll” Voss of Milwaukee, WI, Richard “Dick” Voss of Ripon, WI and Louise “Gee” Carroll of Dover, NH.
We are heartbroken to bid farewell to the most beautiful person in the world. But we recognize that it is time for Donna to join her rightful place among the angels in heaven and to be re-united with her mother, brother and other members of her family who predeceased her. We know that she will continue to look out for all of us, just as she did her entire life.
In light of the precautions with COVID-19 and for Rich to avoid incurring the wrath of Donna for holding a “super spreader event”, Funeral Services and Burial will be private. A Memorial and Celebration of Donna’s life will be held at a time (hopefully this summer) when friends and family can again safely gather to honor and remember her amazing life.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Donna’s memory may be made to the following organizations close to her heart.
In recognition of the wonderful care, love and support that we received from our oncology team at Dana Farber as well as countless nurses and other healthcare professionals during our journey, donations may be made in honor of Donna to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Dr. James Cleary Research Fund, P.O. Box 849168, Boston, MA 02884-9168 or at www.dana-farber.org/give.
To commemorate Donna’s passion for addressing food insecurity and her lifetime of volunteer work and concern for others, donations may be made in honor of Donna to the Food Pantry Program at the Council of Social Concern, 2 Merrimac St., Woburn, MA 01801 or at www.socialconcern.org.; and to Mission of Deeds, 6 Chapin Avenue, Reading, MA 01867 or at www.missionofdeeds.org.