Dates
Donna Kay Gilbert Moorehead McBride, 66, entered her eternal journey on December 31st, 2023 after a courageous battle with cancer. Donna was born in San Angelo, Texas on October 23rd, 1957 to William Carol Gilbert and Dollie Mae Gilbert. The baby of seven children, she brought an abundance of joy and excitement right from the beginning. Her mesmerizing smile and contagious laugh would absolutely light up a room and set the tone for the day. Protected by her four amazing older brothers, Billy, Donald, Weldon, and Harvey, as well as her dynamic older sister, Nona, Donna soon would become the family jewel and a beacon of light that would help shine the way to many spectacular journeys for the family.
Donna and her mother would create an unbreakable bond after the death of her father that devastated the family when Donna was four years of age. Donna’s siblings and mother would help to create a home for Donna that was full of joy, excitement, and love that would help build Donna into the loving and caring Mom, Granny, and Friend that everyone was drawn to. Inspired by a higher power and internal drive, Donna would begin her two most important careers at 17. The first and most important job, Mom, would start in 1975 with the birth of Stephnie. A single mom, she created a loving environment full of vacations, amazing birthdays with homemade cakes, fishing adventures, and wonderful bedtime stories. Her second job would start at Winn-Dixie where she would start her life-long journey in the grocery business.
Shortly after this time, Donna would meet a young man, Matt Moorehead, whom she would build an amazing family with, a loving home, and share many exciting activities. The two would blend two existing families with Jeni, Amy, and Stephnie and then add Elizabeth and Robert along the way. At the same time, Donna would continue an astonishing career working at Kmart, Food Emporium, and HEB. Her career with HEB would span across 32 years and boy did she leave a mark with the San Angelo Community. Her eye for detail, her gracious heart, and her extreme work ethic would shine through every event that she would cater. Donna would bring life to any party with her charisma and oh how it would shine. Through meals and love for her partners, The Spring Chicken Affair, HEB’s Taste of San Angelo, HEB’s Feast of Sharing, and Catering the San Angelo Premium Sale at the rodeo were just a few events where Donna’s creativity, style, and grace would radiate throughout our community. However, Donna’s ability to put together a team full of HEB partners, build relationships, and make her team feel like family was one of her many gifts.
However, the job that Donna excelled at the most was one that would start on March 1st, 1989 when she started the job know as…“Granny.” Sleepovers, dyeing eggs, making Christmas cookies, and playing dress-up are only a few of the activities and adventures that her grandchildren would be involved in over 34 years. It was during this time she would meet the love of her life, Daniel McBride, also known as Pepaw. Together, Daniel and Donna would go above and beyond for their grandchildren where fun and laughter were of great abundance. Trips to the coast to fish, Disneyland, Florida for bear hunts, Arkansas to zipline and digging for diamonds, and Louisiana for shopping, food and a little time in the casino would create lasting memories that caused her family to build everlasting bonds. The part of this world that Donna would excel in would be birthdays and holidays, with homemade stockings, unique gifts, amazing food and homemade birthday cakes, and parties to make every person feel special and loved. Donna was most definitely the #1 Granny and Mommy.
Donna is survived by her loving husband of 18 years, Daniel McBride; her children, Stephnie and David Holt, Elizabeth and Tim Proctor, Robert and Kendra Moorehead, Christina McBride, Tim and Christian Clyburn, Josh and Emily McBride, Jennifer and Jim Dunn, Amy and Johnny Martin; grandchildren, Mackenzie, Hailey, Brandon, Bailey, Brittany, Brooklyn, Lexie, Madison, Wyatt, Tucker, Kinlee, Adam, Westin, MaLori, Christopher, Breanna, Julia, and Tori; sister, Nona Pearl Seals, sisters-in-law Elizabeth Gilbert, and Jackie Gilbert, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
Donna is preceded in death by her parents, William Carol and Dollie Mae Gilbert, her brothers, Billy Gilbert, Donald Gilbert, Weldon Gilbert, and Harvey Gilbert; sister, Mary Frances Gilbert, brother-in-law, Charles Seals, and sisters-in-law, Lavada Gilbert and Doris Gilbert.
The family would like to extend our thanks to the loving support that we received from Shannon Hospital, Hospice of San Angelo, and doctors John Harvey, Taylor Kingman, Richard Van de Graaf, David Cummings, Raj Cheruku, and Kenneth Jastrow; and all the nurses in ICU and on the 4th and 5th floors. Your graciousness and love for our mother was felt every day.
The family would like to extend an invitation to everyone to join them in Celebration to Celebrate the life of Donna at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, January 8th at Northridge Baptist Church, 2447 W FM-2105, San Angelo, TX 76901. A Family Visitation and Viewing will be held on Sunday, January 7th from 3:00-5:00 p.m. at Harper Funeral Home, 2606 Southland Blvd, San Angelo, TX. 76904.
In remembrance of Donna’s life, the family asks that any charitable donations be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at https://www.stjude.org