Donna Rosborough Ludwig

Born and raised in Newburgh, NY, Donna met her future husband of 69 years, Daniel D Ludwig at West Point while he was a cadet. They were married on graduation day in the Old Cadet Chapel on the installation and lived in Germany and many other duty assignments in the US, including Dan’s absence during tours in Thailand and Vietnam.

Donna and Dan raised 4 boys and were very involved with their children. He retired after 25 years and they moved to Blacksburg, VA where he began a second career as a professor and eventual department head of Engineering Fundamentals at VA Tech.

Donna was very involved in garden clubs, served as president for The Garden Club of Virginia, Director/Treasurer at the district level, and president of the Southside Garden Club. She served a term as President of the VA Tech Faculty Women’s Club. She also served as Director/President of the Montgomery County Branch of the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities and was a long-time interpreter/docent at Smithfield Plantation, served on that board, and was Director of the Smithfield Preston Foundation. She was always active in church, singing in the choir, leading the altar guild, and helping beautify the grounds and gardens.

The couple fully retired in 1997 and moved to Richmond in 2005 to be near two of their sons and 3 grandchildren. They travelled extensively to visit family and friends, including 14 cruises in the US and Europe, many with close USMA classmates and their wives. Donna remained involved in gardening, beautifying the berm behind their house, and chairing the Reveille UM Church Garden group for many years.

After a long and healthy life, she unfortunately suffered a bout with cancer, and endured a complicated surgery and other treatments to try to eradicate the disease, which was very aggressive. She passed away quietly in her sleep on August 25th and is survived by her husband, her brother and other members of her side of the family, their four sons and spouses, and 7 grandchildren.

She is remembered as the beautiful and loving person she always was - cheerful, thoughtful, kind, helpful, energetic, a Christian, creative. She cherished her family and loved designing and creating decorations and flower arrangements, and she sewed, crocheted, knitted, braided rugs, and made clothes. She is cherished and missed by her family and friends, but we rejoice that she is at peace in heaven in the place our Lord has made for her.