Donna Marie Gouch

DONNA MARIE SUBER-GOUCH was born February 7, 1951 in El Paso, Texas to Robert Eugene Suber Sr. and Jessie Mae Scruggs Suber. She grew up in Columbus, Ohio and graduated from Linden McKinley High School. There at Linden McKinley, she met and fell in love with James W. Gouch Jr. She would often go hear him sing at school events and talent shows. Upon graduating, James and Donna were married on March 20, 1969. She joined James in Reno, NV where he was stationed while serving in the Navy. Donna always wanted to have four children: two boys and two girls. While in Reno, on March 17, 1970, she and James welcomed their first child, a daughter, Nichol ReN’ee (Niki). After being honorably discharged, James, Donna and Nichol moved back to Columbus, Ohio. Donna began work at Ohio Bell until leaving to have her second child, Darrien Chappelle on October 18, 1971. Shortly thereafter, she started going to respiratory school. In 1973, she started working for Mount Carmel West Hospital as a Respiratory Therapist where she worked for 40 years until her retirement on February 9, 2014. In 1977 she welcomed another son James Willis III (Bubba) on April 1st and then a daughter Jessica Joyce on May 5, 1979. She was a very devoted mother and attended any and all events her children participated in. She gave care, love, support, and words of wisdom and understanding to her children. She often taught her children that they had purpose in life, and to always treat others as they would like to be treated. She loved being a grandmother “Gigi”, she was at the births of all of her grandchildren. Her grandchildren and great-grandchild was her pride and joy. Her “babies” as she called them. She had a special relationship with each and every one them. Donna enjoyed professional sports like football, basketball, tennis, and track and field. Her favorite team was the Cincinnati Bengals and the Ohio State Buckeyes. She enjoyed all of the Ohio Teams. Donna was highly respected at work by her co-workers and staff at Mount Carmel. She was kind to everyone she worked with from fellow therapists, cleaning staff, nurses and whomever she come into contact with treating everyone with kindness, respect and love. She was married to James for 45 years. They could finished each other’s’ sentences, and know what the other one was thinking just by looking at each other. They always looked out for each and stuck it out through the good, bad and trying times. Although Donna did not have any biological sisters, she treated her sister in laws as her sisters. Donna will always be remembered as a loving, devoted, respected and caring wife, mother, grandmother, sister, daughter, aunt, and friend to her husband, children, grandchildren, great –grandchild, brother, nieces, nephews, cousins and friend. Donna will be forever missed by her husband James W. Gouch, children Nichol Ross, Darrien Gouch, James Gouch III, Jessica(Michael) Ashford, grandchildren Andre, Malcolm, Nicholas Ross, Deja Gouch, Shae-Marie and Michiah Ashford great grandchild Treyvon Mullen-Ross, brother Robert Suber Jr, Aunt Virginia Wynn and Uncle Caggie Scruggs Jr., cousins Adale Calloway, Gloria Jackson and Cynthia (Bobby) Bland. Sister-in-laws Gladys Martinez-Riquel , Brenda Gouch -Williams, Priscilla (Rodney) Brown, Patricia (Raymond) Bell, Peggy Perry, and Essie Desamours, brother- in-laws Timothy Gouch and Dwight Gouch and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins. Close and dear friends Mattie Brown, Debbie Armstrong, Libby Rand, Pat Langston, Alice Hartman, Marla Jones, Mae and all of her Respiratory friends and co-workers at Mount Carmel West hospital. Reflections from Donna’s brother Bobby……. Though she grew up in Columbus, Ohio, in her early childhood she would often visit her grandparents Caggie and Annabelle Scruggs’s farmhouse in Niota, Tennessee. Her brother Robert E. Suber Jr. has reflected her early childhood. Through she was born in Texas she was shaped in a small valley in Eastern Tennessee. These small valleys are called hollows or places beneath and between large hills not mountains. You see, mountains have rocks and boulders. This place we call Niota is full of hills foothills if you will beneath of mount hills. There she learned discipline in those hills breath the mountain she learned the discipline of focus and how to overcome obstacles. Niota was a fertile place. It could grow anything: cotton, corn, watermelon peach trees, tobacco greens green beans and black berries. More importantly, it was a great place to grow children. Grandpa Caggie and Grandma Annabelle had thirteen children. Daughter Jessie Mae gave birth to Donna and me. At family reunions there were so many cousins of third Scruggs generation that when we slept at the farmhouse, we were five or six to a bed. We slept sideways with some always ending up on the floor but we were happy. Made so by the love and venturing of our mothers lovingly known as the “Scruggs women.” Donna Marie was a third generational Scruggs woman. In those days you were schooled at home and at school. Donna attended a one-room schoolhouse as did I. Each row was a different grade, one teacher for grades 1-6 as first and second graders. Donna and I learned fast. She was an excellent student and competitive. Not only did she excel at any level but she learned most of what was being taught to the 5th and 6th graders as well always teaching it to her little brother. At home, Scruggs women were being schooled about life. After all, we were dirt farmers principally living off the land. Scruggs women were taught at an early age how to take care of the family and each other. They were taught how to handle the finances of the home, how to make money last, how to make meals out of nothing, how to share with each other so as to leave no on wanting, the insignificance of fighting with each other to make clothes as well as they made bread, how to give praise to God from whom all blessings flow. How to love and care for family. Donna Marie Gouch was and is a Scruggs Woman, The definition of strength of love of family and faith in God. This is her legacy. I see that legacy alive in her daughters, Niki and Jessica. I see it living still in the Scruggs Women gathered here today to help us celebrate her life. As humans, it is said that you have lived a purposeful life if at the twilight of your life can pass these five tests: 1.Was I a caring loving obedient child to my parents? Did I listen and learn 2.Was I a thoughtful and loving wife to my husband? Did they love me as I loved them? 3.Was I a protective in structure, and nurturing parent to my children? Did they look to me for guidance and comfort? 4.Was I a true friend to others so named was I there for my siblings, my cousins, my aunts and uncles? Did I bring joy to others? 5.Was I a God fearing person did I believe in God and in his son Jesus Christ who died on the cross so that my sins and mistakes would be forgiven. Donna, I know you hear me! You passed these things as very few have. I will always honor to be known as your little brother. A brother to a true Scruggs Woman. Love, Bobby