Donna R. Ireland

Donna R Ireland, 57, of Galloway Twp, Passed away 01/04/2021 after a brief battle with covid 19. Donna was born in Queens NY, and settled in Pomona NJ in 1971. She grew up in Pomona, and graduated Absegami High School in 1981. In 1982 she married James P Ireland of Galloway. She continued her education with an Associates degree in Paralegal, and she also had many talents, interests and hobbies including: photography, talented oil painter, gifted writer, but her greatest interest of all was in her children and grandchildren.

Predeceased by: her Mother, Concetta Pelaez, her Sister: Laura McGloin, her Brother: Mark Pelaez, and Sasha Donna is survived by the love of her life, Spouse and friend: James P Ireland Sr, Sons: James Ireland Jr, Stephen Ireland (Solataire), Daughter: Brianna Karrer (Adam), Grandchildren: Kendall Ireland, Kaden Ireland & Jordyn Ireland, her Father: Evaristo Pelaez (Rosemary) , her brothers and sisters: Louis Cimino, Teresa Ferro (Hugh), Maria McCarthy (Eddie), Joseph Pelaez, John Pelaez, Andrea Ross(Jeff) and Tina Saccoccio, and an abundance of nieces and nephews. And of course Sydney.

A little about Donna, Heavens newest Angel, through the eyes of her Son, and Daughter In Law From Steve: I owe almost my entire formative education and my complete high school education to Mom because she made sure we were homeschooled before it was cool. She was an outstanding teacher and always put so much effort into making it a fun, memorable, and efficient learning experience for all those years. She would read to us every night when we were kids, and I’m not talking about silly little bedtime stories. We got through epic narratives like The Hobbit, Great Expectations, the Chronicles of Narnia, chapter by chapter, night by night. She couldn’t ever get through the Velveteen Rabbit or Charlotte’s Web without crying at the end. I didn’t fully appreciate any of that as a kid. I do now.

A million moments from the past week, years, decades etc. have flashed through my mind today that I wish I could have back.

I wish I hadn’t resisted standing for the millions of pictures she loved taking whenever we had the family together.

I wish we could listen to “In the Air Tonight” by Phil Collins one more time together so I could see her come in with the air drums at all the wrong times before she gets it right.

I wish we could laugh again about the time she locked the keys in the car when I was a kid and we didn’t realize until after we had finished grocery shopping and the car was still running when we got back to it.

I wish I had thought to tell her about some of things about myself that wouldn’t exist if not for her example...things like determination, albeit sometimes manifested as stubbornness but hey nobody’s perfect...an insatiable desire for knowledge and the skills to obtain it, an appreciation for art, history, science, reading...it’s all from her. I wish I could tell her how fortunate I am to be her son, how lucky Jordyn is to have had mom-mom in her life for seven years. I should have said it more often. I wish I had a chance to say goodbye to her and that I love her. Your life is a collection of moments. Don’t take any of them for granted.

Thank you, Mom. I love you and I’m really going to miss you.

From Solataire: Let me tell you about my wonderful mother in law. I want you to know her the way we did.

Donna Ireland was the best mother in law a girl could ask for. From the beginning she made me feel like her daughter. She loved me unconditionally and was always there when you needed her with no questions asked. She was funny, loving, kind, understanding, and just a good person. You definitely want more Donnas in the world.

Let me tell you about mom mom Donna. If you think Donna shined as a mother in law you should have had the pleasure seeing her as a grandmother. Top notch in my opinion. Didn’t get any better then her. She loved her grandchildren with everything she had. She shared her hobbies with them and supported them in there’s. She planned activities with them and took them to special places that would be just for the two of them. She celebrated their mile stones with us and helped when they were having difficult times. I’m telling you, the best of the best.

Let me tell you about Jordyn’s mom mom. I can tell you the relationship Jordyn had with Donna gave me the greatest joy. They would have inside jokes that mommies just wouldn’t understand. Donna was gracious enough to watch Jordyn regularly for us off and on for years while I worked. I’d walk into them giggling on the couch about something silly and Jordyn would fill me in on their adventures of the day from painting, to cooking, to Spanish lessons, to dance parties...the list is endless. Theirs was a special bond. I’m going to miss it.

Donna, you are going to be missed by so many, you already are. Thank you for being as wonderful as you were in every possible way. I love you. Until we meet again ❤️