Harvard cafeteria supervisor, music booster, mother
Donna Kidder (Courtesy photo)
Donna L. (Blood) Kidder, 63, a lifelong resident of Ayer, died Thursday, Sept. 26, 2013, at her West Main Street residence. Donna was born in Groton, Aug. 2, 1950, a daughter of John Blood and Beatrice (Wheeler) Blood Manni. She attended Ayer High School, Class of 1968.
For nearly 20 years, Donna worked in Harvard’s public school system in the cafeteria, in a supervisory position. She retired in 2001. Donna had previously been very active in the Ayer Music Boosters, Ayer Girl Scout Program, Fitchburg Kingsmen Drum & Bugle Corps, and the Ayer Order of Eagles. She enjoyed cooking and loved to entertain. She also enjoyed playing bingo and loved Walt Disney World. Her life’s greatest pleasures were her children and grandchildren.
Her husband of 19 years, William E. Kidder, died in Dec. 1997. She leaves two daughters, Michele Cochran and her husband Michael Cochran of Athol, and Sandi Canessa and her husband David Gunther of Port Orange, Fla.; her sister, Pamela Manni of Ayer; three brothers, Victor Manni of Leominster, Robert Bailey and Butch Bailey of Va., and Russell Blood of Mich.; and a dear family friend, Patricia Smith of Ayer. She also leaves seven grandchildren, Trevor, Chelsea, and Tyler Ziemba; Carter and Cassidy Cochran; PFC Cameron Wheeler-Canessa, USMC, currently deployed to Afghanistan; and Cayden Gunther. She is also survived by her close cousin, Sandy Roy of Shirley.
A funeral Mass was be celebrated Tuesday, Oct. 1, 10 a.m., at St. Mary’s Church, 31 Shirley St., Ayer. Burial was in the parish cemetery. Calling hours were Monday, Sept. 30, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the T.J. Anderson & Son Funeral Home, 25 Fitchburg Road, (Route 2A) Ayer. See www.andersonfuneral.com for more information.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Adam Bullen Memorial Foundation, 24 Charlton St., Oxford, MA 01540 (www.adambullen.com).
