Deborah Donaldson passed away peacefully on July 13, 2025 doing what she loved to do, sitting in the sun. Born Deborah Lee Chait on February 3, 1954, to Theodore and Rosalyn Chait in Biddeford, Maine at the old Webster Hospital. She grew up in Old Orchard Beach before moving to Portland in sixth grade, where she attended Longfellow Elementary School. She attended Portland High School, where she graduated from in 1972. She was always a bulldog at heart. After high school, she attended Gray Plus Business School in Portland and worked many years as a medical secretary before coming a homemaker. In 1980, she married Herbert Donaldson and they brought into the world 3 beautiful daughters. For many years, Debbie ran a home daycare and volunteered at her daughter’s schools. You could always find her in the stands at her children’s sporting events cheering them on or her grandchildren. Her 7 grandchildren were her world, becoming a grandmother was the most enjoyable thing to her.
She is preceded by her parents, Theodore and Rosalyn Chait(Wolfe), Sisters Bonnie Chait and Amy Kraft. She is survived by daughters Sarah Pagan, Susan Donaldson, and Hannah LaRosa. And her 7 wonderful grandchildren Cecilia Pagan, Julian Tillery, Francisco Pagan, Marcus Tillery, Isabel Pagan, Kaleigh Washington, and Elijah Mclean. We also can’t forget her very close long time friends she had who were more like sisters to her, Kathie, Shelley, Harriet, Pam, and Cat.
A graveside service will be held Friday, July 18, 2025 at 1:00pm at Mt. Sinai Cemetery 159 Hicks St, Portland.
Reception to follow at 248 Congress St. Portland.