Donna Lee Jones Ward, age 67, born in Harlem, N.Y., passed away peacefully Wednesday, May 10, 2023, at Northeast Georgia Medical Center, Gainesville.
Donna Lee was born March 16, 1956, to Audrey Louise Jones and the late Leander Jones in New York, NY. She was a resident of Englewood, N.J., for several decades. She resided in Bergen County, N.J., before moving to Georgia, where she retired and lived out the best of her days. Donna Lee was influenced by her mother, who was an opera superstar, and her iconic aunt Sylvia Robinson, owner of Sugar Hill Records. Donna Lee is responsible for getting rap music on the radio. Sylvia Robinson and her husband, Joe Robinson, hired Donna to promote this rap genre worldwide.
Left to cherish precious memories, mother, Audrey Louise Jones; daughters, Shanell Jones & Shate’ Miller; son and daughter-in-law, John Anthony Miller and Maria Le Grand, In law Lilian Miller; grandchildren, Josiah, Nehemiah, Joel & Jeremiah; sisters, Ahwanetta Houston, Arlana Jones & Tanya Jones; a host of nieces, nephews, spirituality adopted children, aunts, uncles and extended family and friends also survive.
Services honoring Donna’s life will be held later in New Jersey.
You may sign the online guestbook or leave a condolence at www.wardsfh.com.
Ward’s Funeral Home of Gainesville is honored to serve the family of Donna Lee Jones Ward.
