Donna M. (Lemanski) Clough Ferguson

RUTLAND – Donna M. (Lemanski) Clough Ferguson, 70, beloved wife of Michael J. Ferguson, passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family on Tuesday, September 18, 2018 at UMass Memorial Medical Center-University Campus. Born in Worcester and raised in Westborough, she was the daughter of Joseph B. and Adell T. (Orrico) Lemanski.

Donna attended Salve Regina University and went on to further her education earning a Master’s Degree in Speech Pathology from Anna Maria College as well as a Master’s Degree in Child Psychology from Worcester State College. For more than 40 years, Donna was a licensed speech pathologist. Her passion for the special needs children drove her education choices and changed the lives of many children with unique needs. She worked at the Devereux School before serving children in the Worcester Public School System for 25 years. She also worked in the North Brookfield School System on a part-time basis for 5 years.

Donna’s true passion was the piano. Her love for the piano began when she started piano lessons as a small child. By the age of 20, she was tutoring students and her love of piano and teaching stayed with her for more than 50 years. Her social nature fueled her passion for many things, and she was always working on a project. She was an excellent cook, having learned how to prepare many Italian dishes from her mother and grandmother. Donna was known to be somewhat of a “Soup Bible” junkie by those who knew her best. She worked side by side with her husband, Michael in their garden and loved to can the fruits of their labor. She was famous for her bread and butter pickles and her spiced peach jam was the “best in the world,” according to her family. Small vases of flowers hand-picked from her garden were displayed throughout her home from springtime well into the late fall.

Donna was an avid Red Sox fan and attended as many games as she could with Michael. She also enjoyed golfing with her friends at Bedrock Country Club, the 19th hole was always her favorite. She always had a flair for the dramatic. Donna was a founding member of the Worcester Children’s Theatre and the Worcester Chapter of Very Special Arts. She was a member of the Rutland Cultural Council for 15 years and was active in Central Mass on Stage.

Donna will be lovingly missed by her husband of 26 years, Michael J. Ferguson; her two sons, Eric M. Clough and his wife, Jennifer of Lunenburg and Gregory S. Caricchio of Worcester; a brother, Joseph Lemanski and his wife, Mary Pietrowski of Framingham; and several nieces and nephews.

Relatives and friends are invited to gather with Donna’s family from 4 to 7 pm on Sunday, September 23 at the Miles Funeral Home, 1158 Main Street, Holden. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 am on Monday, September 24 at St. Patrick’s Church, 258 Main Street, Rutland. Burial will follow at Worcester County Memorial Park, Paxton. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to VSA Massachusetts (formerly Very Special Arts Worcester Chapter) at vsamass.org.

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