Donna Yarborough

Family will receive friends Sunday, October 24, 2021 from 3:00 p.m. until time of memorial service at 4:00 p.m. at White's Funeral Home Chapel. Service will be livestreamed. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to The ALS Association in honor of Donna's son, Donald.

Donna Marie Yarborough, age 73 passed away peacefully in her sleep at home on October 14, 2021. She was born in Columbus, OH on September 21, 1948 to Harold Sr & Oretha Yarborough.

Donna grew up at 91 Jefferson in a house filled with the love of her parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. These early years formed the loving foundation that she carried with her the rest of her life. She enjoyed telling anyone who would listen about the events and fun times that happened on Jefferson. As a young student of Vincent Walters Piano Studio, she participated in many recitals with her sister/cousins Patrice, Ruthanne & Tyna Yarborough.

She graduated in 1966 from South High School and immediately began her working career at the United Negro College Fund, from there to the Electric Company, then on to IBM where she worked until retiring in 1992. Finding her faith in the family church of Trinity Baptist Church, she worked a short time there as Executive Assistant to Senior Pastor. She was a Communications Specialist for Action for Children, Administrative Assistant for Dehan Enterprises, and as Admin. Assistant to the Manager at City of Columbus Far East Neighborhood Pride Center as an AmeriCorps VISTA. She was founder of the Berwyn East Civic Association and president for about ten years. She later became trustee and was then elected treasurer until the time of her death.

In 1988, she founded Minority Youth Link, an organization created to link middle and high school students to helpful community & educational resources. Out of this came the Minority Youth Recognition Awards (MYRA) program for middle and high school students who were doing well in school and in the community. The awards program continued annually until her stroke in 2000. MYRA was her pride and joy. For a time, she was a contributing editor for the Columbus Call & Post, writing a column titled “Eye on Youth” which featured educational, social, and cultural information that affected and interested our youth.

Donna’s passion was helping others and she had the biggest heart. Being civic minded, she always wanted to help anyone wherever she could. She enjoyed volunteering at several organizations including the Jerry Lewis Telethon, Firefighters for Kids at the Pride Center, and assisted in sorting clothing donations for several organizations.

She is preceded in death by brother Jimmy, her father Harold Yarborough Sr. and son Donald Robinson.

Donna was loved by many, and left to mourn her passing, she is survived by her mother Oretha Yarborough; son John Robinson Jr., daughter-in-law Vickie Robinson; brothers and sisters Harold Jr. (Vickie) and William (Evelyne) Yarborough, Benita (Frederic) Phillips and Michele (Juan) Taylor; grandchildren John III, Carlicia, Darius (Jordan) Robinson, Destanie (Demetrius) Scales, Jordan and Brianna Tolbert of Alabama; seven great grandchildren; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, an uncle and many, many friends. She especially cherished her sister/cousin relationship with Ruthanne Bess and Tyna Lorenz, special friend Rick Skorpen and her constant companion, her dog Louie.

The family would like to thank Neptune Cremation Services, White’s Funeral & Cremation Services, Gahanna Municipal Golf Course Clubhouse.

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