Obituary of Donna J. Gessner

Wayland – Donna Jean “Jeanie” Gessner, 60 years of age, passed away Friday December 23, 2016 at the Livingston County Center for Nursing & Rehabilitation where she has resided for a few years. Donna was born November 29, 1956 in Dansville the daughter of Kenneth W. and Donna L. (Isaman) Recktenwald. She grew up in Dansville and graduated from Dansville Central School in 1974. Donna then attended and graduated from Monroe Community College in 1981, where she earned an Associate’s Degree. She then went on to work at a private x-ray firm in Rochester until starting her career at Nicholas H. Noyes Memorial Hospital from November 1987 until September of 2011 as an x-ray / ct technician. Donna and John A. “Jack” Gessner were married on April 14, 1984 at St. Mary’s Church in Dansville. Together they have celebrated over 32 years of marriage and have resided on Gessner’s Windy View Farms, of which they owned and operated together. Donna was a former member and past treasurer of the Dansville Ambulance Company in which she served as an EMT for several years. Her hobbies were many as she was an avid Buffalo Bills fan, enjoying season tickets during their Super Bowl runs. Donna was also a huge fan of NASCAR with Kevin Harvick and Terry LaBonte being her favorite drivers. For several years they would travel to Bristol, TN for the race. Donna also enjoyed traveling to local county and state fairs to show their cattle. Mostly though Donna enjoyed spending time on their farm with her husband Jack and their daughter Kristine. Donna was predeceased by her father, Kenneth W. Recktenwald on Nov. 21, 1995. She is survived by her husband Jack Gessner of Wayland; her daughter, Kristine Gessner of Wayland; her mother, Donna L. Recktenwald of Dansville; her sisters Nancy (Chuck) Holtz of Wayland and Sally (Bob) Bartoo of Canaseraga; her sisters and brothers in law, Kathy Gessner of Rochester, Arlene Blake of Farmington, Joanne (Harry) Gates of Wayland and Chuck Gessner of Wayland; along with several nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins. Donna’s family and friends are invited to call Wednesday from 2-4 and 7-9 at the St. George-Stanton Funeral Home, 109 West Naples St., Wayland. A family prayer service will take place at 10:00am Thursday at the funeral home. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated for Donna, Thursday at 11am at St. Mary’s Church in Dansville. Committal prayers and interment will take place immediately following at St. Peter’s Cemetery in Wayland. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Noyes Foundation, (specifically x-ray/ct), 111 Clara Barton St., Dansville, NY 14437 or to the Dansville Ambulance Co., 18 Ossian St., Dansville, NY 14437 or to the Perkinsville Fire Department, PO Box 152, Perkinsville, NY 14529.