December 15, 1937 - November 25, 2022
Donna Marie Buls, 84, passed away peacefully on November 25, 2022 in Loveland, CO. She was born in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada on December 15, 1937. She grew up in Kelowna with her parents, Victor and Sadie (Olson) Gregory, and older brother, Dale.
She used to tell stories about growing up on Okanagan Lake and ice skating on the lake during the winter and water skiing during the summer months. She was a Girl Guide and loved the outdoors when she was young. During high school she was a cheerleader for four years and was also a candy striper at the local hospital. She went on to study nursing at St. Paul’s School of Nursing in Vancouver, BC and became a Registered Nurse. Close friends she met from nursing school became lifelong friends.
She moved to California to work as a nurse and met Arthur Mitchell Buls on the train. They married in Oliver, BC on July 4, 1961 and resided in Fresno, CA for some time and then moved to Spokane, WA. While living there she continued to work as a nurse in doctors’ offices as well as a nurse in the OR.
Their first child, Stephanie, was born on June 5, 1965 and Gregory was born on January 6, 1967 in Spokane. In 1973 the family moved to Bellevue, WA and from then on she stayed home as an amazing mom and homemaker. The family moved to Missoula, MT in 1979 to be near Art’s family. In 1990 Donna and Art decided to try out a few winters in the Phoenix area and moved there full-time in 1992. After a decade or so in Phoenix they moved to Pauma Valley, CA and resided there until the passing of her beloved husband on July 25, 2011. In 2014 she moved to Loveland, CO to live near daughter Stephanie and her family. Her son, Gregory, passed away from pancreatic cancer on June 21, 2020 and this was a great loss to her and the family.
She was an avid world traveler, reader, golf, tennis and bridge player throughout her life and also worked as a volunteer at a variety of organizations for many years. She was considered to be sassy and sweet by many, had endless energy and loved dessert.
She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Swan and Mabel Olson, of Kelowna, BC and her parents, Victor and Sadie Gregory, of Oliver, BC and many aunts and uncles.
She is survived by her brother, Dale Gregory, and his wife, Wendy, of Coquitlam, BC; daughter Stephanie Buls Stobbe of Loveland, CO; grandchildren Ash Stobbe of Salem, OR; Maya Stobbe of Loveland, CO; and Sasha Buls and Vivian Buls of Gilbert, AZ.
Private family services will be held at a later date. Cremation has been completed.
