Donna Dee Larson

Donna Dee Clay Larson, 80, passed away on February 9 with her husband of 61 years, Allen Larson, by her side. A resident of Salinas, California, Donna was born in Los Angeles on July 19, 1940 to Horton and Mary Helen Clay, and later moved to Lakeside, California, where she met Allen shortly after graduating from Grossmont High School. They were married on June 13, 1959, and moved to Salinas with three young sons in 1964. With Donna working at his side, Allen opened a branch of a San Diego-based construction company in a small office in their backyard. Donna continued to work for E.F. Brady Co. as a secretary and training consultant for over 25 years, and as the company expanded to a large office in Castroville, Donna and Allen added two daughters to their family.Donna was quick to laugh, could bring a room to tears and smiles when offering a heart-felt toast, and loved making life fun for her family and friends. She enjoyed reading, dancing (including swing, country, and a very enthusiastic embrace of disco), traveling, and listening to music, and she made the best Christmas cookies her children have ever tasted. With a quiet determination, she wanted to make the world a better place and became active in Beyond War in the 1980s and throughout her life supported the SPCA, Greenpeace, and other organizations. Education was also important to her, and she partnered with two teachers in co-owning and operating a Montessori school for several years.Donna was preceded in death by her mother, father, and brother Richard. She is survived by her husband, Allen; children, Troy (Rosemary), Darrin (Steve), Tim (Pamela), Julie (Michael), and Megan; grandchildren, Brian, Katie, Colin, Jo, Ryan, Megan, and Molly; sister, Mary, and brother, Charlie; and many nieces, nephews, and close friends. Due to the pandemic, the family will not be holding a memorial service. If you would like to express your condolences, please sign Donna’s guestbook on the Trident Society website (https://www.tridentsociety.com/obituaries). In lieu of flowers, the family requests a donation to an Alzheimer's research association of your choice.