Mrs. Donna Mae Marano
Donna Mae Marano (Olson), 84, of Smithfield, North Carolina,
passed away peacefully at home on August 19, 2025,
surrounded by her loved ones after a short battle with cancer.
Born on May 2, 1941, Donna was a loving mother, stepmother,
grandmother, sister, and friend. She attended Wausau Senior
High School and was a devoted Lutheran who enjoyed being a
Bible School Teacher. For many years, she worked as an
optician and eventually owned her own business. She loved
working with people and always greeted everyone with a smile.
Donna had a passion for writing poetry, and was proud to have
some of her work published in poetry books. She also had a soft
spot for cats, caring for several feral ones and enjoying her own
kitties.
Donna is preceded in death by her parents, Gilman Olson and
Dorothy Boardman; two brothers, Leroy and Edward Olson; her
longtime friend and the father of her daughters, Dale Kurth; and
nephews Jason Pischke, Jerry Olson, and Kenny Olson.
She is survived by her two daughters, Coleen Morse and
Christine (Daniel) Revoir; a sister, Mary Olson-Sinz; and two
stepchildren, Kari Marano and Brian (Erika) Marano. She also
leaves behind two grandson’s, Derek (Casey) Kurth and
Brandon Au-yong; three granddaughter’s Sarah and Jessica
Morse, and Stephanie (Jason) Rosenow; and many nieces,
nephews, cousins, and other family members from Wisconsin
whom she loved dearly.
A celebration of life will be held at Holy Cross Lutheran
Church, 2920 Veterans Parkway, Clayton, NC on October 25,
2025, at 2 p.m. Refreshments will be served following the
inurnment. A live feed will be available for those who are out of
state at http://holycrossclayton.com/ or
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFWp14weSisxJFzEf7lGG
UQ. A separate service will be held in Wisconsin at a later date
in the spring of 2026.
In lieu of flowers, Donna requested that donations be made to a
local animal rescue.
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Guest Book
Family or Deceased Name: Donna M. Marano
Your Name: Tony Zamora
Email: Captzam@gmail.com
Message: The angels are always near to those who are grieving, to whisper to them that their loved ones are safe in the hand of God
Date: 9-10-25
Family or Deceased Name: Donna M. Marano
Your Name: Tanya Woods
Email: markwoodswife@yahoo.com
Message: I had the pleasure knowing Donna but a short time, but I am friends with her Sister Mary and her Daughter Chris ,My Heart goes out to Donna's Family at this time ,all my Blessings and Prayers 🙏
Date: 9-9-2025
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