Donna Margaret Eacott

Donna Margaret Eacott (née Phillips) was born in Paris, Ontario on May 7, 1948.  Her parents, Donald Truman Phillips and Margaret (née Martindale), were born in Ingersoll, Ontario and Darwen, England.  In a home enormous with love they encouraged their two daughters to pursue education, think for themselves, and always do the right thing. 

Donna grew up in Woodstock, Ontario and attended Victoria and Central Public Schools and Woodstock Collegiate Institute.  In a time when women were still far outnumbered by men at universities, Donna graduated from the University of Waterloo with a major in English and a minor in Latin in 1969, and from the Ontario College of Education in Toronto in 1970.  She became a redoubtable English teacher at Mimico High School in Toronto.  Showing her feistiness, she agreed to a date, sight unseen, with John McBride Eacott. Donna and John were married 10 months later in March 1971.  They were the love of each other’s lives and best friends for over 52 years.  Donna had a strong sense of self and equality, and in a rare disagreement with John in their early years, poured a container of sugar over his head, exclaiming that he “needed a little sweetening”.  Things like that strengthened their bonds.  Donna and John shared a love of traveling.  They took their children on several house exchanges, including to England, New Mexico, the Netherlands and Switzerland. Donna and John also traveled to Kenya, Morocco, India, much of Europe, Mexico, the Caribbean, the United States, across Canada, and more places than can be listed.  They spent several years living, working and exploring in Nizwa, Oman, and in later years, enjoyed their winter home in Sugar Creek, Bradenton, Florida. 

Donna’s passions included reading, crossword puzzles and Scrabble, walking, light gardening, and her friends and family.  She particularly liked sewing quilts, hats and other items for her family. She will be remembered by many as a calm, kind, objective listener who provided empathetic, pragmatic and non-judgmental advice.  Donna always had an instinct for the best thing to do, the best way to do it, and for believing in the best in others.  She instilled these skills in her children, along with a sense of fairness, determination, and living according to strong principles. 

She died as she lived with courage and love (sorry, Donna, we know you might cross out such a cliché but it is apropos), surrounded by family at Woodstock Hospital on October 19, 2023, age 75.  Her love and wisdom through her example will continue to nourish her husband John, children Erin and Jonathan, children-in-law Jason and Amy, grandchildren Aven, Tessa, Mackenzie and Nathan, her sister and optimus amica Brenda Clausen, many nieces and nephews, and the generations to come.

A celebration of life will be held in spring 2024 at her home, the Eacott arboretum.  Donna requested that donations be made to VON Oxford Sakura House https://von.ca/en/donate-now-to-von-oxford-sakura-house or the Woodstock Hospital Foundation https://whfoundation.ca/donate-now/. Wareing Cremation Services, 225 Norwich Ave., Woodstock was entrusted with Final Arrangements. Thoughts, memories and photos of Donna can be shared at wareingcremation.ca