When Donna Carr first met Marge West in 1985, both were working at Cholla Branch Library. Like Marge, Donna was a librarian and family genealogist well before personal computers were widely available. From time to time, Marge would mention her work at the pioneer cemetery near the State Capitol and how she was reading rolls of newspaper microfilm, searching for obituaries of those buried there. Still, it wasn't until 2004 that Donna had enough free time to actually join the Pioneers Cemetery Association, becoming its first webmaster.
In addition to long-time PCA member Marge, Donna then met Diane Sumrall, Frank Barrios and Reba Grandrud. She assisted with major projects such as the 2012 Inventory of Arizona's Historic Cemeteries and the compilation of a burial list for nearby Cementerio Lindo. Between 2015 and 2017, she was on the team that revised the burial list of the Pioneer & Military Memorial Park in light of additional information that had been unearthed since the publication of the first edition in 2005. And she sometimes donned period-appropriate dress for the PCA's annual Memorial Day observances.
In 2017, the PCA coordinated with author Derek Horn and the History Press to publish a book specifically about some of the notable characters buried in the Pioneer Cemetery. As chair of the PCA's Living History team, Donna has carried on that project by researching and writing almost 200 short biographical sketches of the Cemetery's 'residents'--with more to come! She has paid particular attention to documenting the lives of African American, Chinese, Hispanic, Native American and women pioneers who rest in the cemeteries that the PCA manages.
Thank you Donna for all you do!
