Donna Rose Donnellon Lambert Obituary

Donna Rose Donnellon Lambert of Clarksburg, WV passed away peacefully on Saturday, July 5, 2025 in the presence of her loved ones.
She was born in Clarksburg on May 18, 1950 as the third of four daughters to the late Jerome ("Don") Donnellon and Rose Loria Donnellon.
Donna spent her early childhood in the Glen Elk neighborhood of Clarksburg, later moving with her family to a home close to downtown. She started school at Towers Grade School, finished her elementary education at St. Mary's Grade School, and graduated from Notre Dame High School in 1968. Donna later attended Fairmont State College and in 1975 earned a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education.
Donna knew at a young age, when she was in second grade in fact, that she wanted to be a teacher. It was therefore destiny that in January 1976 she started teaching second grade at her former school, Towers. Donna was not just any second grade teacher. She was extraordinary and was like a second mother to many of her students. She not only taught subjects in a manner that made learning understandable and fun but also was there for her students to celebrate their accomplishments and help them deal with adversity. It was not uncommon for Donna to use her own money to buy new clothes for a student in need, to provide emotional support and a lot of hugs to a student in crisis, and to offer words of wisdom and life lessons to all. She truly loved being a teacher and for many years even self-funded an end of school year class picnic. While teaching, Donna advanced her own education. She took graduate courses and received a Master of Arts in Elementary Education 1-8 plus 45 hours from West Virginia University.
After Towers was permanently closed, Donna taught sixth grade at Hartman Elementary. Fittingly, she ended her career at North View Elementary teaching her most beloved grade, second grade, until she retired in 2006. Throughout her career, she was loved by her fellow teachers and truly adored by many of her former students, who even as adults describe her as "my favorite teacher."
Donna viewed her gift for teaching as part of her fulfilling God's plan. She was a spiritual person, a devout Catholic, and an active member of Holy Rosary Catholic Church and Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. She was in the choir during most of her adult life and graced these parishes with her kindness and her angelic soprano voice.
Donna enjoyed music and humor and was instrumental in acclimating her nieces and nephews to a variety of music and comedy from the 1970s and 1980s. Her living room was often transformed into a stage or dance hall for them and her sisters on many Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Donna loved her family and took being a daughter, sister, niece, cousin, aunt, and godmother very seriously. She was encouraging, supportive, and consistently involved in the lives of her family and friends – taking trips, remembering birthdays, and being there for graduations, weddings, births, and other life events. Most of all, Donna was an excellent listener and provided comfort and guidance to her family members and friends, especially when they needed her the most. She was a "favorite" to many, including her husband Leonard ("Lenny") Lambert whom she met in 1999.
Donna and Lenny were undoubtedly soulmates. They were married on May 12, 2001 and spent 20 years together as true life companions – rarely apart and respecting and loving each other unconditionally.
Donna is preceded in death by her husband, Lenny Lambert, her sister Marie Elena Donnellon Francis, her brother-in-law Charles Francis, and her brother-in-law Mike Labdik.
She is survived by her sister Judy Donnellon Labdik of Clarksburg, WV; her sister Jackie Donnellon Costello and her husband Tom Costello of Auburn, NY; her ten nieces and nephews: Charles David Francis (Martha) of Hurricane, WV; Andrea Francis of Huntington, WV; Jackie Francis Hudson (Darryl) of Washington, DC; Betsy Labdik Lucas (Mike) of Coraopolis, PA; Suzy Labdik Linville (Chuck) of Worthington, OH; Andy Labdik of Clarksburg, WV; Michelle Labdik Ricard (Gary) of Delaware, OH; Tom Costello (Melissa) of Pelham, NY; Joe Costello (Lindsay) of Auburn, NY; Emily Costello (JP) of Portland, OR and several great nieces, great nephews, and cousins.
The family would like to thank the staff at Elison at Maplewood for their loving care and thank her close friends, especially Pam and Jeff Mitchell, Donna Dolan, and Marcus Helms, for all of their love, help, and support.
Family and friends may call at the Amos Carvelli Funeral Home, 201 Edison Street on Monday, July 14, 2025 from 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m., where a prayer service will be held at 7:30 p.m. to conclude the visitation. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, July 15, 2025 at 11:00 am at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church with Father Casey Mahone as Celebrant. Interment will be in the West Virginia National Cemetery in Grafton, WV.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made in Donna's honor to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital at https://www.stjude.org, to Shriners Children's at https://www.shrinerschildrens.org or to a children's charity of your choice.
Expressions of sympathy may be extended to the family at www.amoscarvelli.com, a service of Amos Carvelli Funeral Home.