Donna Mae Gibb

Born in Thief River Falls, Minnesota, on July 23, 1926 to the late Gynther and Clara Tessum, third generation Norwegians, Donna lived a full, illustrious life on the move, traveling the world, and making her home in many different places.

As a child, Donna’s parents moved their young family first to Boise, ID, in 1929; then Klamath Falls, OR, in 1931; Bend, OR, in 1935; Billings, MT, in 1938; and, finally, to Berkeley, CA, in 1941. Donna finished high school in El Cerrito, CA, the first graduating class of El Cerrito High in 1944. She later attended UC Berkeley, where she was a member of the Phi Omega Pi sorority.

Her family’s periodic relocations apparently made an impact on young Donna. Donna loved moving to new places and meeting new people, making best friends easily with her charm and positive outlook on life. Her homes were always elegant and filled with treasures from her many travels. In California, she lived in Berkeley, Lafayette, Piedmont, Alamo, Rossmore, Belmont, Magalia, San Diego, La Costa, Borrego Springs, Palm Springs, Monterey, Escondido, and Rancho Santa Fe. She lived a short time in Eugene, OR; Austin, TX; and Yuma, AZ. She even made homes internationally, in Vancouver, Canada; Guadalajara, Mexico; and later in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.

An experienced traveler, Donna stepped foot on nearly every continent in the world, including Antarctica. She spent a year traveling the globe in addition to many, many other international adventures. Her friends considered Donna to be the Grande Dame of world travel and globetrotting. Always curious and inquisitive, her wanderlust often lead to meeting people who would become life-long friends. Her door was always open for visitors, and she enjoyed entertaining an endless stream of admirers throughout her storied life.

Donna’s first marriage to Olaf Andrew Tveitmoe in 1946 blessed her with a daughter, Robin. Later, she had two sons, Gary and Jeff, with her second husband, C.R. “Buzz” Gibb, whom she married in 1953. She and Buzz worked together to build a successful commercial real estate company in the San Francisco Bay Area focusing on hospitality properties. In the early 1960’s, they built and opened The Boatel, a waterfront hotel, and The Thunderbird Lodge, both in Oakland’s Jack London Square.

In 1967, she married a third time to Royal Canadian Navy sea captain Ernie Piper, and she relocated to West Vancouver, Canada along with her two young sons. There, she opened Canada’s first women’s clothing consignment store, “The Boutique Exchange”, sporting the catchy motto, “Every woman loves a bargain.” Donna would spend many happy hours shopping for bargains in consignment clothing and furniture stores over the years. She was married one last time in 1975 to Arnold Kessler. They lived in Rancho Santa Fe, CA, and divorced in 1981.

Donna believed in giving back to her community and volunteered her time to her favorite causes including the Red Cross, the mission in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico and Hospice thrift stores. She enriched the lives of countless souls, many of whom she felt a personal responsibility to help improve their situations.

In 1994, Donna’s only daughter, Robin, passed away. Donna is survived by her sons, Gary Gibb and wife Charlotte of Lafayette, CA; Jeffrey Gibb and wife Marie of Monterey, CA; four grandchildren, Haley Gibb and Chad Gibb of Monterey, CA; Troy Gibb and Cody Gibb of San Francisco, CA; niece Karen Dawkins, nephews Mark Tessum and Richard Tessum of Daly City, CA; and many, many dear friends she considered family.

A Celebration of Life is being arranged by her family. Please contact Gary & Charlotte Gibb for

details. [email protected], Gary (925) 324-1729 mobile.

Donations in Donna’s memory may be sent to Montage Health, Hospice of the Central Coast, 2

Upper Ragsdale Drive, Building D, Monterey, CA 93940. (800) 364-7001.