Dana passed away on October 5, 2024 ending her long and valiant battle with metastatic breast cancer. Dana left behind a legacy of love and cherished memories. She was born in Orange, Calif., on March 17, 1969. Dana’s life was filled with passion for her family, dogs, friends and happiness.
Dana was a military brat, spouse and mother. She loved her country and the men and women who served. Her life was filled with opportunities for creativity. Every day she went to her studio and started or continued a project. She sewed, quilted and crafted. Dana was a master of those crafts and was on Martha Stewart’s radar! She enjoyed camping and traveling. They made many trips to see lighthouses and always took her fur babies Leo, Shandy and Noctis.
Dana was fueled by her involvement in communities, first and foremost, the Hanau American High School Alumni (Go Panthers)! She, her husband Paul and sister Jennifer all graduated from there. She attended many reunions, enjoyed fellowship and renewed friendships.
Dana was very involved with River Country Quilters and Virginia Consortium of Quilters.
Attending meetings was a priority. She was a member of the Middle Peninsula Breast Cancer Support Group and the Middle Peninsula Cancer Support Group. She found lots of support and comfort from those along the same path.
Dana was an advocate of the League of Women Voters “Get Out The Vote” Campaign, breast cancer screening, and donating to and supporting local cancer charities.
Special thanks to Alta and Jennifer and their families for their unwavering support of Dana through her end-of-life needs and requests. And extra special thanks to all of Dana’s friends who assisted in the final months. Special thanks to the Riverside Peninsula Cancer Institute and Riverside Walter Reed Hospital for Dana’s care. She considered you all family.
The family requests memorial donations be made to Becky Montgomery at the Hanau Reunion Committee (hanaupantherreuion@gmail.com). You can send Zelle transactions directly to the fund. Please indicate any gift “in memory of Dana” in that email; the Riverside Country Quilt Guild and the Making Strides of Peninsula Breast Cancer Walk. Here is the link to her team: https://secure.acsevents.org/site/STR?fr_id=108784&pg=team&team_id=2778649
Dana is survived by her loving husband, Paul, son, Caleb, daughter, Amber (Trenton); mother, Alta (Jim) Clayton; sister, Jennifer (Mike) Laughead; aunt, Trudy Huff; three nieces, two great-nieces and two great- nephews who fondly referred to her as Great Dana. She was preceded in death by her father, Roger G. Olmsted.
A Braver You by Donna Ashworth
She asks me is she brave and I look at her here still trying
After all these years
After all the ditches in which she almost died
All the nights she cracked and cried a river
Am I brave, she quivers, and I show her a mirror of all the shes she used to be
And all the ways she fought to be free
Yes, I say with the deepest of truth
I have never seen a braver you.