Donna Lynn Nijem

Donna Lynn Nijem, beloved wife, mother and grandmother, passed away on April 15, 2024 at 1:50 am. She was 75 years old. Donna was born on October 30, 1948 in Lafayette, Indiana, loving daughter to Donald and Nina MaCurdy.  

Donna was the heart of our family and she exuded tremendous joy and light to everyone she came into contact with. She raised two children, Tarek (51) and Nawel (46) in a loving home and she was married for 53 years to her soulmate, Mike, who was by her side until the very end. If anyone knew Donna, they knew she was an adoring and devoted grandmother to Caleb (17) and Abby (14). She was “Tata”, the fun, sports-loving, creative and funny grandma who loved to spoil her grandkids whenever possible.  

Donna was also a loving younger sister to Pat and a close and caring aunt to Danele (50) and Greg (49). She was a dear sister-in-law to Hamdi and Hana Nijem and also adored her nephews Ihsan (47) and Maher (46). Beyond that, many of her kids’ friends who knew her would often lovingly refer to her as “Aunt Donna” or a “second mom” because of her incredible ability to connect, relate and engage in warmhearted talks, giving advice and sharing her genuine mother’s heart. Donna was known for her knack for creativity and her natural gifts in arts and crafts. She could transform any room into a cozy haven and her ability to turn coal into diamonds by refinishing antiques and knick knacks brought joy to those around her when they stepped into her home. And oh, did she love Christmastime! Donna was also known for her hearty laugh and her kind heart. Her cooking was always filled with love and brought warmth to any soul who was blessed enough to partake. She never hesitated to go above and beyond for anyone in need, especially those she loved. She was the absolute heart and soul of our family, and she will be dearly missed forever. 

Family and friends are invited to Cypress Lawn in the Newall Chapel at 1383 El Camino Real in Colma at 12:00 pm on Friday, April 19th. Burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery at 2:45 pm. Please join us for a reception afterwards at 4:00 pm at Hana’s Cafe & Deli at 400 Oyster Point Blvd. in South San Francisco as we gather to share stories and warm memories in celebration of her journey home.