Liselotte Schneider Donaldson, lovingly known to most as Oma and/or Lilo, peacefully entered eternal life on the morning of July 4th, 2018 at the age of 83. A native of Deggendorf, Germany, she met and married the love of her life, Cecil A. (Don) Donaldson, of Union Grove, AL in 1957. Her husband’s job with the U.S. Government took their family far and wide including Germany, France, and West Pakistan, before settling in Huntsville, AL.
Oma was an incredibly intelligent and successful woman. Although she studied chemistry, her ability to speak four languages fluently led her to a position as an interpreter with the U.S. Government. While working in this position, she met her future husband, Don. Out of her many accomplishments, one that she was most proud of was gaining her United States citizenship in 1969. Having been raised during the austere times of World War II, Oma acquired attention to detail, resiliency, and resourcefulness, all of which she maintained throughout her final days. Though these qualities depict her German heritage, her heart and spirit belonged to America, whose culture and way of life she quickly fell in love with. It is her patriotism and appreciation for her adopted country that makes the timing of her passing so poignant.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Cecil A. Donaldson, her son, Michael A. (Micky) Donaldson, her, parents Ludwig and Emilie Schneider of Germany, and twin sisters, Ursula Schneider and Erica Brunner of Germany. She is survived by her children, Karen Boehme (Bill), Sandra Knowling (Bob), and Renee Harris; her grandchildren, Amelia Kate Zack (Aaron), Sarah F. Dupont (Ben), Chris Boehme, Anna E. Knowling, Emily C. Knowling, Abby E. Knowing, Hoyt Harris III, Griffin P. Boehme, Harding Harris, Hooper Harris; her great-grandchildren, Nate Broom, Benton Dupont, and Henry Tucker Dupont; her “adoptive” son Daniel Lau and family, wife, Jean and children, Jonathan, Elizabeth, and Christine.
Our family would like to extend our most heartfelt thanks to our dear friend Cathy Briggs, who lovingly cared for our Oma in times of need and in her final days. Our prayer with her passing is that her spunkiness and love of life would be her legacy carried on by her family, friends, and all who crossed her path.
A celebration of life ceremony will be held at Southwood Presbyterian Church on Saturday, July 14, 2018. Family will begin receiving friends and family at 1:00 pm with a short service to begin at 2:00 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, we would like to ask that memorials be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, a charity to which Oma faithfully and selflessly donated.
