Donna Marie Bright, age 71, of Fernandina Beach, passed away early Saturday morning, December 8, 2018, peacefully in her sleep at her Fernandina Beach home. She died of natural causes.

Born in Chicago, IL she was the elder of two children born to the late Leonard Reiter and Dorothy Reiter (Sladdich). She grew up in a Catholic home and was a graduate of Morton West High School in Riverside, IL. Following high school, she attended College and worked as a Secretary when she met her first husband, Timothy Hugh Christopher Skinner.

She joined Tim in London, England where they were soon married in June of 1973, and had their first of three children, Spencer Victor Leonard Skinner. While converting a mews into their first home in the Bayswater neighborhood of London, they had their next two children, twins, Eric St. George Skinner and Hilary Juliet Skinner.

In 1976 the family moved to Alton, England to support her husband�s move to an engineering firm. In Alton, she raised their three children and forged many great friendships that lasted her lifetime. During that time, Donna studied and gained certifications with the Royal Yachting Association and enjoyed many family sailing excursions from Portsmouth and the Isle of the Wight to favorite destinations along the coast of France.

Following the untimely death of her husband, Timothy, in 1982, she met and married USAF service member, Burton K Bright, eventually relocating with her family to Ramstein Airforce Base outside of Kaiserslautern, Germany. During their three years in Germany, Donna and her family enjoyed many adventures traveling throughout Europe, visiting Bavarian castles, swimming at the beaches of Italy and Yugoslavia, and skiing in the Alps.

After three years, Donna and her family left Germany to return to the United States when Burton was relocated to Moody Airforce Base in Valdosta, Ga. In Valdosta, she built a home for her three children where they all attended high school. She supported her husband�s retirement from the USAF and transition to his role at the Lowndes Valdosta Arts Center, by helping to plan and organize art shows and other events.

In 1993, she moved with her husband and son, Eric, to the beaches of Amelia Island, Florida to enjoy a semi-retired lifestyle and to soak up some sun while Eric finished his last year of High School. She supported Burt�s work at Kings Bay where he taught as a part time college professor, and made their beautiful home in Fernandina Beach where she enjoyed over twenty years of building strong community and lifelong friendships with her husband before his passing in 2016.

While sharing stories of her sense of humor and giving nature, her family recalls her love of cooking and epic paella parties. An avid crossword player, she had a prodigious vocabulary and completed the usually dreaded New York Times Sunday puzzle with ease. She immensely enjoyed swimming and spending time poolside with their friends and family, hosting coffee club and other neighborhood and friend gatherings.

Donna Bright leaves behind, her children, Spencer Skinner (Tigist, grandchildren Jayden and Alex), Yulee Fl; Hilary Skinner (Lesley Siegel), Philadelphia, PA; Eric Skinner, Fernandina Beach; sister, Janice Ciccarelli, Chicago, IL; step-children Robin Round (Dennis, grandchildren Whitney, Blake, MacKenzie, and Olivia), Missoula, MT; Ashley Bright (Allyson, grandchildren Kaylee, Kirsten, Taylor, Caden, and Jase), Casper, WY; three nieces (Deanna Quinn, Nicole Joy, and Tracey Gower), and friends.

Funeral services will be at 2:00 pm on Thursday, December, 13, 2018 in the Burgess Chapel of Oxley Heard.

Her family will begin receiving friends and family at the funeral home, from 1:00 pm until the hour of service at 2:00 pm.