Obituary for Donna Goldfarb
Donna Goldfarb, 1946-2024
Donna Goldfarb, 77, of Dover, New Hampshire, passed away on Sunday, March 17, 2024, at Salem Hospital in Massachusetts, with her husband, son, daughter and granddaughter by her side. After a six-month bout with pancreatic cancer, including a successful whipple surgery at Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston, she struggled to overcome numerous post-surgery complications and, facing a future of immobility and pain, Donna ultimately chose to forgo sustained medical treatment and instead end her life at peace in the loving embrace of her family.
Born on August 2, 1946, in Ogdensburg, New York, to Isadore Greenblatt and Rose Sussman, Donna was a bright student who shared her parents' passion and talent for music and theatre. After graduating from the University of Rochester in 1968 with a BA in English, she moved to Boston, where she worked as an editor at a publishing company. It was there that she was introduced to Alan Goldfarb (as a result of a "set-up" by their furniture salesmen fathers). Alan & Donna married on August 10, 1969, and established their first home together in Henniker, New Hampshire, where they welcomed their two children, Jared & Shayna.
After relocating to Concord, New Hampshire, the Goldfarb family became very active in Jewish life at Temple Beth Jacob and, despite no formal qualifications, Donna enthusiastically took on the role of liturgical soloist, becoming de facto one of the first female cantors in the Jewish world. She continued in that role for nearly 20 years, while simultaneously singing as a soloist for various church congregations in the region. In addition to her vocal talents, Donna pursued her stagecraft over a span of 50 years, starring in hundreds of theatrical performances around New England and earning numerous awards for her roles.
Donna & Alan eventually decided to move to the seacoast, settling in Portsmouth and later Dover, where she happily added one of her favorite roles to her repertoire - Grandmother to her five grandchildren. In recent years, Donna spent many hours volunteering at the local Children's Museum and for the Dover chapter of the General Federation of Women's Clubs.
Donna was predeceased by her parents and her two brothers, Skip & Michael Greenblatt. She is survived by her husband of 55 years, Alan; son Jared, his former partner Elisa, and their three children - Eliana, Aviel & Adiv; and daughter Shayna, her husband Scott, and their two children - Carly & Chloe. As per Donna's wishes, her cremated remains will return to their earthly roots along the New Hampshire seashore and in Jerusalem, where she will join her parents' remains in giving life to the Peace Forest overlooking the Old City.
Donna's immediate family invite her relatives, friends and colleagues to join them in a celebration of her life on Tuesday, April 16, at 4:00 pm, at the Elks Lodge, 500 Jones Avenue, Portsmouth, New Hampshire. For those unable to be there in person, the celebration will be streamed live online (a link to the broadcast will be publicized closer to the date). To honor her memory, and sustain her commitment to children's education and the performing arts, please make a contribution in Donna's name to the Garrison Players Youth Education Program at https://ci.ovationtix.com/35934/store/donations/52519
Donna Goldfarb, 77, of Dover, New Hampshire, passed away on Sunday, March 17, 2024, at Salem Hospital in Massachusetts, with her husband, son, daughter and granddaughter by her side. After a six-month bout with pancreatic cancer, including a successful whipple surgery at Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston, she struggled to overcome numerous post-surgery complications and, facing a future of immobility and pain, Donna ultimately chose to forgo sustained medical treatment and instead end her life at peace in the loving embrace of her family.
Born on August 2, 1946, in Ogdensburg, New York, to Isadore Greenblatt and Rose Sussman, Donna was a bright student who shared her parents' passion and talent for music and theatre. After graduating from the University of Rochester in 1968 with a BA in English, she moved to Boston, where she worked as an editor at a publishing company. It was there that she was introduced to Alan Goldfarb (as a result of a "set-up" by their furniture salesmen fathers). Alan & Donna married on August 10, 1969, and established their first home together in Henniker, New Hampshire, where they welcomed their two children, Jared & Shayna.
After relocating to Concord, New Hampshire, the Goldfarb family became very active in Jewish life at Temple Beth Jacob and, despite no formal qualifications, Donna enthusiastically took on the role of liturgical soloist, becoming de facto one of the first female cantors in the Jewish world. She continued in that role for nearly 20 years, while simultaneously singing as a soloist for various church congregations in the region. In addition to her vocal talents, Donna pursued her stagecraft over a span of 50 years, starring in hundreds of theatrical performances around New England and earning numerous awards for her roles.
Donna & Alan eventually decided to move to the seacoast, settling in Portsmouth and later Dover, where she happily added one of her favorite roles to her repertoire - Grandmother to her five grandchildren. In recent years, Donna spent many hours volunteering at the local Children's Museum and for the Dover chapter of the General Federation of Women's Clubs.
Donna was predeceased by her parents and her two brothers, Skip & Michael Greenblatt. She is survived by her husband of 55 years, Alan; son Jared, his former partner Elisa, and their three children - Eliana, Aviel & Adiv; and daughter Shayna, her husband Scott, and their two children - Carly & Chloe. As per Donna's wishes, her cremated remains will return to their earthly roots along the New Hampshire seashore and in Jerusalem, where she will join her parents' remains in giving life to the Peace Forest overlooking the Old City.
Donna's immediate family invite her relatives, friends and colleagues to join them in a celebration of her life on Tuesday, April 16, at 4:00 pm, at the Elks Lodge, 500 Jones Avenue, Portsmouth, New Hampshire. For those unable to be there in person, the celebration will be streamed live online (a link to the broadcast will be publicized closer to the date). To honor her memory, and sustain her commitment to children's education and the performing arts, please make a contribution in Donna's name to the Garrison Players Youth Education Program at https://ci.ovationtix.com/35934/store/donations/52519