Donna C. Saar

October 5, 1944 - April 4, 2017

Donna Catherine Saar passed away peacefully at home surrounded by the love of family and friends on April 4, 2017 after a long battle of kidney disease and cancer. She was born October 5, 1944 in North Hempstead, New York to Thomas and Grace Jacques. She grew up in the village of New Hyde Park and Massapequa, New York. Donna moved to Goleta, California with her young family during the summer of 1968 to be near her mother and sister. Donna had an incredible heart and found great pride in her genuine desire to help others. She showed a concern and caring in all that she did. As an undergraduate advisor in the Music Department at the University of California, Santa Barbara she provided students, staff and faculty with a sincere friendliness and was always courteous and fair. As years passed, student who had graduated continued to keep in touch with her as they valued her friendship. Prior to the Music Department, Donna worked at Student Health Services where she brought a sense of compassion to all. Some may also know Donna from her days working at Kard ‘N Kandle in Santa Barbara. This position gave her a sense of joy and created many friendships while still allowing her time with her children. Donna’s passion to serve others led to her desire to serve her community. She was a Girl Scout leader, board member of the St. Raphael’s School PTA, volunteer at St. Raphael’s School, Bishop Diego and Dos Pueblos High Schools, member of UCSB’s Retirement Committee, member of the Red Hat Society, and a board member for the Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation. She enjoyed offering her time and skills to enrich the lives of others and inspired so much love. It warmed her heart to be able to share her compassion for life with all. Donna was warm and friendly, well liked and will be deeply missed by those she touched. Donna is survived by her 3 daughters, Deborah Kleinpeter (Karsten) of Goleta, Cortney Saar of Los Angeles and Sandra Wendland (Corey) of Falmouth, Maine; grandchildren Krista Kleinpeter, Raechel, Mickela & Nicolle Medak, Zach Brown (Alyssa) and Lauren Wendland; great granddaughter Peyton Brown; brother Thomas Jacques and sister Gail Johnson-Plowman; Aunt Jean McDonough; and many nieces, nephews and cousins. The family would like to thank the doctors, nurses and staff at the Santa Barbara Artificial Kidney Center and Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care of Santa Barbara for their loving care. A special thank you to Dr. Darol Joseff for being an amazing doctor and friend. Friends and family are invited to a Rosary on Monday April 17th at 7pm and to celebrate her beautiful life on Tuesday April 18th at 11:00 am, both at Welch-Ryce-Haider Chapel in Goleta. A celebration of Donna’s life will continue at a location to be announced during the service. Internment will be privately held for the family at Calvary Cemetery. Donations can be made in honor of Donna to the Santa Barbara Artificial Kidney Center, 1704 State St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 or to Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care of Santa Barbara, 512 E Gutierrez St, Santa Barbara, CA 93103.