Donna Marie Preston

Service Details

In keeping with Donna’s wish, a private service was held.

Memorial Suggestions

In lieu of flowers, Chris’s friends have set up a Gofundme account: https://www.gofundme.com/f/easing-chris-prestons-burden-after-loss

Donna Marie Preston passed away on Wednesday October 23th 2024, at Froedtert Hospital in Pleasant Prairie. She was 74 and passed exactly on her birthday.

She was born in Kenosha, WI on October 23rd 1950. She was one of 4 children of the late Florence (Maiden name: Corbelli) and Louis Perrine. She was preceded in death by her brother Rick Perrine. Her surviving siblings are Nick Perrine (wife Shari), Louie Perrine (wife Laurie). Along with her nieces and nephews, Louie, Nicholas, Jena, Anthony, and Michael Perrine.

She was married to James Preston on ** . They had a (surviving) son Christopher James Preston on February 13th 1982. She was preceded in death by James Preston on November 17th 1992.

Donna went to St Joseph Catholic High school and graduated in the Class of 1968. She completed her Beauticians degree at Gateway Technical College in Kenosha, and became a full time beautician. After a while she began working as a cook for the Perrine family business: The Fon tan Blu. Where she, behind the scenes, cooked up many of the favorite Italian meals that made the drive-in a Kenosha classic staple. All the while working as well as a beautician on the side.

She soon after moved to Salem with Jim and Chris and took a job as a cook at the Salvation Army owned Camp Wonderland in Camp Lake, WI. After the passing of Jim Preston she then moved back to Kenosha and worked and ran two successful deli/restaurants inside the two AL&Lou’s locations. When Al & Lou’s closed, she worked inside he 22nd Ave Lou Perrines as manager/operator of the infamous Tommy Lasorda’s dugout deli. This was another kenosha food staple that she was at the helm of. Many people came to know her from this deli for her kind mannerisms, and amazing food she cooked.

She then took her skills to the high end country club in Racine where she was a manager of the buffet there, honing her skills as a master of large scale food preparation and presentation. Moving on from there she decided to come back to work for the family for a while and was behind the helm of the counter of Lou Perrine’s Gas and Groceries in downtown Kenosha. There yet again her friendly personality made her a customer favorite.

She then took a job working for the kenosha achievement center. At first she was simply stationed at the South Side Library were she learned to be a barista. But upon her suggestions she convinced them to let her use her skills to bring new items to the menu to drum up sales. Her ideas and cooking turned a small not for profit cafe nook into a thriving business. After the success of the cafe at the library, the achievement center transferred her to their newest endeavor, a newly opened cafe at the new Gateway technical college radio station and technology building. Once again when allowed to flourish and flex her skills she turned an unprofitable microwave food and simple coffee establishment into a profitable and well known and liked restaurant with daily specials and fresh food. Also introducing a full salad bar and Donna’s homemade food. She became more profitable than the main cafeteria and did many mass food spreads for events for the firefighters and other gateway events. In 2014 she stepped away from gateway to become a caregiver for her mother Florence till she passed away in 2016 on mothers day.

Donna was known for her cooking, her kind, calm heart, and acceptance of anyone. She was “mom” to many who did not have moms, she was a hard worker, a pragmatic thinker when it came to her jobs, as attesting to how she always ended up in a leadership and planning role. At all her forward public facing jobs she was someone who just radiated kindness and always was great to chit chat with. You went to her places expecting and excited to see Donna. She was a blue collar hard worker through and through and embodied a lot of those great work ethics through the years. She was an infinite font of wisdom to many people. And just well liked. Donna would drive her cousin Linda  to St Lukes for treatment until her death in 2016. This was just the kind of person that Donna was.

Donna was not only this motherly figure to many but mostly to her pride and joy, her son Chris. She told anyone and everyone about him and how proud she was of him. And how he had taken all of her good, calm, hardworking traits. She loved him more than anything, and did everything for him. She sacrificed a lot as a single mother to make sure he had the best life possible. In 2020 after her stroke her son became her caregiver and she would tell people how proud she was of him and how he had saved her life on many occasions with his diligent tending to her.

If it’s not clear by now Donna was an excellent cook. It was her main hobby and she loved cooking for everyone, friends and family were getting food if they were sick. Random sundays would turn into massive buffets for everyone to come eat and take home. She also loved music, especially the Beatles, and other 60’s,70’s,80’s classic pop music. She was also well known for her black 2001 pt cruiser that you would see her and Florence driving around in. (It’s still running here in 2024!) Donna loved watching the Hallmark channel, she learned to use her iphone and was very social media savvy for someone her age. She loved tik tok and instagram reels. She loved all the cooking content on the internet. She would frequently see something and instantly try to make it. (even tweak it to make it better!) Donna loved long drives by the lake and out in the county. She loved the fall time. She loved decorating her house with seasonal decor. She was a lover of stand up comedy and physical comedy. She loved a good laugh. She liked going to the casino and playing the slot machines. She loved trying new food and posting about it on Facebook. (sometimes the reviews were brutal but she gave tips on how to improve)

Donna also once cooked for an entire homeless shelter in 2016 as a way for her to give back and help people.

Donna also loved her animals. Throughout the years she was a “cat mom” to Izzy, Neako, Koz, Mau, and oliver. All of them loved nothing more than to lay with my mom in her bed. At any given time you knew SOMEONE was by Donna. Her shining soul attracted them and brought them peace. She has definitely reunited with Izzy and Neako in the afterlife, sleeping at the end of her heavenly bed.

Donna would like to thank everyone who came into her life. All the doctors who gave her 5 more years on this earth after her stroke in 2020. Especially Dr Wolfe at St Lukes who did many life saving operations on her brain that gave her the opportunity to be here. She loved her mother Florence and her thoughts were always with her family and her son. She was selfless. She was motherly. And she will be missed greatly.

Please find the family’s Go Fund Me: https://www.gofundme.com/f/easing-chris-prestons-burden-after-loss