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4 • OCTOBER 2020 - Senior Voice of Hernando County
DONNA started off with such a wide By 1989, they decided they’d She built the Lynnhaven
had enough of Delaware
Ledger, a biweekly
continued from page 3 variety of unusual, funny,
and weird stuff that she was winters. They both took jobs publication, from scratch,
better,” said Shelby. a treat to read,” said Eva with the Tampa Tribune – and grew the circulation to
Dickey, a friend of Donna’s Donna as a reporter covering 10,000 by the time she sold it
By the early 1980s, Donna from Delaware. “From a jazz local government and in 2015.
was divorced, and her bagpiper to a taxidermist, a happenings in the Pinellas

children were mostly grown. 100-year-old woman, and County beach towns, Jim Donna and Jim retired to
She started working as a even the band, DEVO, Donna in circulation and sales. At Spring Hill to be closer to her
reporter for an entertainment always found something the end of one year, recalled son, Rod, and grandchildren.
publication, Fine Times. She different to write about.” Larry Fletcher, who was Soon after, Donna “got the
was able to indulge her love the bureau chief for the St. itch to get back into the
of music by covering the local She also found fun in Petersburg section of the newspaper business,” said
music scene, interviewing challenges. She went – and Tribune, Donna was assigned Jim. The couple started Senior
and writing about local and wrote about – skydiving. On a story that showcased her Voice in Hernando County
national stars. One of the a dare, she entered a bareback sense of humor. and a few years later, started
highlights was an interview mule riding race – even the Citrus County edition.
with Blues legend BB King. though she had never even “Donna called a psychic to do Both papers have grown to

At the same time, she started ridden a horse before. She a predictions story for the new circulations of more than
managing local bands. finished third in the race. year: ‘Hi, I’m Donna Vavala 20,000.
from the Tampa Tribune. But
In 1984, Donna joined On weekends, she’d go to you already knew that.’” “Senior Voice turned out to
the Delaware State News, Rehoboth, a popular beach be a huge success because of
covering the city beat and spot. That’s where she met, Donna’s love of adventure Donna’s passion,” said Jim.
writing a regular humor and started dating, Jim in continued. She took a hiatus Even when Donna’s terminal
column. 1985. The couple married in from work in 1998 and spent cancer was diagnosed in
1986. several months traveling
“Donna’s writing career around Europe on her own. mid-August, her strength and
determination didn’t waver.
V
“Rome was her favorite
S SENIOR ENIOR VOICEOICE because of the history,” said “We were devastated and
emotional,” said Jim. “Then,
Jim. “She wasn’t worried
Donna looked at me and said,
about traveling alone; she
‘well, we’re just going to have
wasn’t afraid of anything.”
to pull up our big-girl and

www.seniorvoicehernando.com After 11 years with the Tampa big-boy britches and deal with
The Senior Voice in Hernando County is a monthly Here are just a few of the many many Tribune, the Vavalas moved to this.’ And that’s what we did –
community newspaper targeted toward adults 55 & older. locations to pick up a Senior Voice. newspapers in Savannah, Ga., on her terms.
Walmart on Spring Hill Dr. and then to Louisville, Ky. “She faced everything head-

Locally owned & operated. In 2003, said Jim, “Donna on and did things many
Publishers – Jim Vavala Walmart on US 19 in Spring Hill remembered she didn’t like people wouldn’t dream
Editor – Megan Carella The YMCA on Mariner cold weather, so we started of doing,” he added. “She

Graphic Design – Jake VanHook the job search in Florida wanted to be a journalist and
again.” After working at the
she did it – even though she
Advertising Coordinator: Jim Vavala Doc’s Diner on Cortez & Mariner Palatka Daily News for three didn’t have a degree. She

Sales- Shelley Ketchum, Lisa Nash Walgreens at Glen Lakes years, Jim was offered a wanted to start a newspaper
Distribution - Jennifer Jernigan director’s job for the Panama and she did, with great
Publix in Brooksville on Cortez City News Herald. Donna got success.”

To advertise or get information: call Main Street Eatery downtown a job as a reporter. Donna died at home on Sept.

352-277-6309 Brooksville They settled in Lynnhaven, 6.
Fla., a suburb of Panama
City. Donna soon noticed that She was preceded in death
To submit photos or articles send to – P.O. Box 15622 Brooksville, FL. 34604 Or email to – seniorvoice99@gmail.com the town didn’t have its own by her son, Rod Morgan, and
Reproduction of any part of the Senior Voice in Hernando County without written permission newspaper. So, she left the granddaughter, Abigail. Along

from Publisher is prohibited. Copyright @ 2020 by Lynn Haven Ledger LLC. News Herald and started one. Continued on page 5