Marcia Teresa Doneth

A vivacious, independent, and kindhearted woman, Marcia Doneth was one of the sweetest women around. She had the most lively sense of humor and was a master of pranks that were always in good taste, of course. Being a mother seemed to be a role that was tailor made just for Marcia, and it was easy to see that she viewed being a mother to her two daughters as both her highest calling and her greatest blessing. She never met a stranger, and she never had an unkind word to say about anyone either. Taken from her loved ones far too soon, Marcia will be dearly missed while her memory remains forever near and dear to the hearts of all who were blessed to be within her reach. It seems only fitting that Marcias story began during a time in our nations history that was as vibrant as she was. It was the 1950s when Elvis Presley took the world by storm and television shows like I Love Lucy transformed the way we saw the American family. Rosa Parks brought civil rights to the forefront when she refused to give up her seat on an Alabama bus, and the space race was on between the United States and the Soviet Union. Amidst this time of great change was the year 1956 that was filled with great joy for a young couple from the area of Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, as they welcomed a baby girl into their hearts and home on January 28th. Marcia Teresa was the fifth of six children born to her parents, Dr. Harold F. Doneth and Evangeline Agnes (Weingartz) Doneth, and she was raised in the family home on M-20 just outside of the city of Mt. Pleasant alongside her siblings, Jeanette, Richard, Anita, and Lucinda Cindy, and her younger brother, Patrick. Her father worked as a veterinarian while her mother was a wife, mother, and homemaker. At times Marcias mother also worked alongside her husband, too. As a young girl Marcia experienced an upbringing that was fairly typical for the youth of her generation. She enjoyed playing in the woods and frequently hung around with neighborhood kids. The Doneths had many pets through the years, which isnt surprising with Marcias father being a vet. Marcia was close to both of her grandmothers, and she and her family regularly camped, often at Copemish. The Doneth family also spent a lot of time on the Platte River in Benzie County. Even as a young woman Marcia was filled with both inner and outer beauty. Because of her good looks she had plenty of male suitors, and she also was a cheerleader while in high school at Sacred Heart Academy. Marcia was very responsible and did a fair amount of babysitting, and she was never really into partying. After graduating from high school in 1974, Marcia went on to college. She became certified as a pharmacy technician from Mid Michigan Community College. Life was forever changed for Marcia when she met a man named Sam Richards. Sam's sister, Rosemary, was to be married and Marcia's sister, Cindy, was a friend of Rosemary. Cindy dragged Marcia to the wedding and the rest is history. Marcia and Sam were later married at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Mt. Pleasant. Together they were blessed with two daughters, Mariah and Elisha. There was nothing that Marcia treasured more than being a mother. She told her sister, Cindy, that her life was complete because she had a family while she was still pregnant with Elisha. It was easy to see that Marcia lived and breathed for her daughters. As a family they spent a week camping at the Platte River every year, but Marcia always made sure that they at least had electricity as she couldnt go without curling her hair! No vacation was ever normal as there always seemed to be a mishap of some kind. One year Marcia was out riding on a two-track seasonal rode with Elisha when they bottomed out their car on a hill. It was quite a sight to see them buried up to the axels in sand! In addition to caring for her family, Marcia worked outside of the home. She spent 39 years working at Central Michigan Community Hospital in a number of capacities throughout her career. Marcia began as a candy striper there and later worked her way into the dietary department. She eventually joined the hospital pharmacy, and she spent the last 15 years in the medical supply store room. Marcia loved her work no matter what she was doing, and she took great pride in knowing that she had a purpose there. She became friends with many coworkers over the years. Along with caring for her family and working, Marcias life was enriched in numerous other ways. Her pets, especially her dog, Buddy who was a beautiful brown dog, was like a third child to Marcia. She also had two Siamese cats that lived into their twenties. For a time Marcia attended Mass at Sacred Heart. Marcia loved traveling when she could, and around the house she kept busy sewing and was a wonderful seamstress. She was also fantastic at cooking and baking, which her family truly appreciated. The things to love about Marcia are numerous. All who knew her would agree that she was hysterically funny, and she loved nothing better than a good practical joke. Marcia loved to scare people, but always in good taste, and she was also known as a prankster around work, too. Her heart knew no bounds, and she welcomed any and every stray animal into her life, even getting them spayed or neutered and any medical care that they needed. Of course she welcomed anyone and everyone into her life with open arms as well. Marcia had a way of meeting the needs of others, often before they even recognized their own need. She was her girls biggest supporter as she rejoiced along with Mariah when she graduated from law school and passed the bar, and again with Elisha when she was accepted into veterinary school. When they were off on their own Marcia always asked her girls what they were having for dinner even when they were separated by miles, and she was always there for every one of Elishas races. A loving, generous, and compassionate woman, Marcia Doneth was a blessing in the lives of those around her. Whether she was leaving them a note on their beds when they were growing up or supporting their accomplishments as adults, she left no question in the hearts of her daughters of just how deeply they were loved. Marcia will never be forgotten by those too numerous to count. Marcia Doneth died on Thursday, September 26, 2013. Marcias family includes her two daughters, Mariah Richards of Weidman and Elisha Richards of Lansing and their father, Sam Richards of Weidman; four siblings, Richard (Rita) Doneth of Mt. Pleasant, Anita Doneth of Rosebush, Cindy Doneth of Dewitt, and Patrick (Monica) Doneth of Lake Orion. Marcia was preceded in death by her parents and sister, Jeanette Rau. A memorial service for Marcia will be held at 12 p.m. Tuesday, October 1, at Lux Family Life Story Funeral Home. The family will receive friends from 10 a.m. until the service begins. A luncheon will follow at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to HATS. Envelopes are available at the funeral home. To learn more about Marcias life, watch her life story film, or to sign the online guest book please visit www.LuxFamilyFuneralHome.com