Donna J. Spedden's Obituary
Donna Jones Spedden of Cambridge passed away on Tuesday, October 25, 2022 at the University of Maryland Medical System in Easton. She was 87 years old. Donna Lee Jones was the daughter of Mildred Jones Mills of Bishops Head, Maryland. She was raised in South Dorchester County by her mother, grandparents, aunts and uncles. Donna graduated from Crapo High School and cracked crab claws in the summers to earn money for college. She graduated from Salisbury State Teachers College with a Bachelor of Science in Education. There she met C. Robert “Bob” Spedden and married him just three days after graduation on June 9, 1956. The couple began their married life in the Washington, DC area.
Donna’s career began in Montgomery County, MD where she taught at Rocking Horse Elementary School. In 1968, the Speddens returned to Cambridge with Donna teaching Middle School at Academy School. Mrs. Spedden was promoted to the role of Hudson School Principal during its last year of operation. Her next assignment was Assistant Principal at Sandy Hill Elementary. She continued her educational administration roles as Principal of Mace’s Lane Middle School, Cambridge Middle School, and Sandy Hill. In 1993, Donna retired from Dorchester County Public Schools and started a second career in Laurel, DE as the Principal of Laurel Middle and Dunbar Elementary schools.
During her career, Mrs. Spedden had the opportunity to interact with her beloved students, faculty, parents, and fellow administrators. She was a well-respected educator with high expectations of herself, faculty, and students and she knew how to extract the highest levels of performance. Her daughter Sharon recounts many encounters with her former students in which they would share “how I was a mess in middle school, but I got myself together and I am successful now thanks to your mom.”
During her tenure with Dorchester County Public Schools (Donna or Mrs. Spedden) earned a Masters in Education from Salisbury State College known today as Salisbury University. She was a member of a School Assessment Team which traveled through the State of Maryland evaluating troubled schools and creating a success plan and a path forward.
Donna enjoyed the peace and quiet of their home on Todds Point where she grew beautiful roses and a plentiful garden. She enjoyed cooking for family and having dinner, cocktail and bridge parties. She was an avid bridge player. A very accomplished woman, Donna earned her pilot’s license and flew a Cessna 182 single engine plane. Her granddaughter, Sydney, brought much joy to her life as she shared her love of cooking, nature and the family property. In the spring, she and Sydney would have the step ladder in the yard looking for bird’s nests in the trees and find baby turtles. Family traditions of back to school and Black Friday shopping were always full of laughter. There were always annual beach days to 9th Street in Ocean City which evoked fond memories of her college days and working during the summer at the beach. During retirement, Donna enjoyed her winter home in Englewood, Florida where she played golf, attended church, and was fond of the warm weather. Donna nurtured long lasting friendships, many of which extended beyond 50 years.
She is survived by daughter Sharon Spedden (Dale Stevens); granddaughter Sydney Johnson Cohee and great grandchildren Alex Spedden Cohee and Chase Merrick Cohee all of Cambridge; and a brother, Clyde Douglas Mills (Lynn Todd) of Bishops Head. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a son, Charles Robert “C.R.” Spedden, Jr. and her husband, Bob Spedden.
A celebration of life will be held on Tuesday, November 1, 2022 at the Newomb and Collins Funeral Home in Cambridge with the Reverend Dave Wooten officiating. The Reverend Mike LaClair will assist. Burial will be private at the convenience of the family. The family will receive friends from 1:00-2:00 pm prior to the start of the service. Services are entrusted to the Framptom Funeral Home and Mid Shore Cremation Center. In lieu of flowers, you may send donations to Dorchester Chamber of Commerce Scholarship Fund, 306 High Street, Cambridge, MD 21613 or Baywater Animal Rescue, 4930 Bucktown Road, Cambridge, Maryland 21613. Please share memories with the family at www.framptom.com
What’s your fondest memory of Donna?
What’s a lesson you learned from Donna?
Share a story where Donna's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Donna you’ll never forget.
How did Donna make you smile?
