Donna Clare Abel passed away September 28, 2021 at Hospice of Spokane Hospice House. She was born in The Dalles, OR. on December 7, 1938 to Harold and Catherine Barrett of Maryhill, WA. Donna grew up with her parents and brothers south of Cheney, WA. and graduated from Cheney High School.

Donna married Ted Kerst just after graduating high school and had 4 children. They lived a short time in Western Montana while Ted was buying cattle for Hygrade Packing of Spokane. They eventually settled in Spokane Valley and were active in St. Mary Catholic Church and sent the kids to St. Mary Catholic School.

Music was a big part of Donna's life. She was choir director at the church and spent many hours playing on the grand piano her son Joe bought her with money he earned working summers at the meat packing plant for his father.

Donna married Walter Abel in 1978 and moved to Oregon where they resided for many years before retiring in Green Valley, Arizona. She and Walt returned to Spokane in 2000. After the death of her husband, Walt, Donna moved in with her daughter and her family and was able to share in the raising of her grandchildren. Her oldest grandchild, Austin, was often heard telling people he would have starved if it wasn't for Grandma Donna.

Donna is preceded in death by her parents, her brothers Frank and Robert Barrett, her husband Walt and her oldest son Joe Kerst. She is survived by her sons, Fr. Pat Kerst and John Kerst, and her daughter Alicia (Matt) Reid and their three children, Austin, Kennedy and Walker. She also had quite a menagerie of four-leggeds during her lifetime.

Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Joseph Cemetery Chapel on East Trent on Friday, October 8 ^th at 2:00pm. Inurnment to immediately follow at St. Joseph Cemetery. Any donations can be made to Shriner's Hospital, where Donna spent 8 months when she was 13 years old, or to Hospice of Spokane.