Donna Laurine (Hoyal) Ramos 1936 - 2022

Donna Laurine (Hoyal) Ramos passed away peacefully at home Saturday, August 13, 2022, surrounded by her husband and two of her daughters. She was 85 years old.  Donna was born August 19, 1936, in Alhambra, California, to James E. and Winona C. Hoyal. She was the third of 11 children. Donna is survived by eight of her 10 siblings, David Hoyal, Sylvia (Patterson), Ralph Hoyal, Carl Hoyal, Karen (VanOrden), Michael Hoyal, Stephen Hoyal, and Neil Hoyal. Two of her siblings, Winona Mariane Hoyal and James Christian Hoyal, are deceased.

Donna is also survived by her husband, Robert Ramos, and 12 of their 13 children, Diane Laurine (Whitehead), James Anthony Ramos, Daniel Christopher Ramos, Julienne Marie (Weiner), Laurea Antoinette (Stirling), Carl Edward Ramos, Sylvia Lynn (Lewis), Teresa Renee (Harding), Maria Lanette (Bunch), Stephen John Ramos, Roseanne Camille Ramos, and Kathleen Michele (Brasuell); 64 grandchildren; and more than 40 great-grandchildren. Donna’s twelfth child, Angelienne Elizabeth Ramos, passed away at the age of nine months on March 8, 1979.

Donna was well liked by everyone in high school. She was senior class president and participated in Glee Club, Drama Club and various service clubs at El Monte High. She graduated in 1954 from El Monte High School, El Monte, California.

In college, Donna became known as Lauri, short for Laurine, to avoid confusion with the other “Donna” who was her roommate. All her adult friends and acquaintances since those days have known her as Lauri. As a freshman at BYU, she was a flag twirler, and in 1956 she was selected to participate in the first BYU Folk Dancing group. Now, decades later, the group has become world renowned and are known as the “BYU International Folk Dancers.”

Lauri met her sweetheart, Robert Ramos (Bob), while attending BYU. During their courtship, they discovered they both wanted lots of children. On March 14, 1958, Lauri and Bob were married for time and all eternity in the Los Angeles Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Lauri managed the home while Bob worked in various engineering capacities. He was happy to become the owner of his own “Welding and Fabrication Machine Shop” to provide for their large family. They were blessed with nine daughters and four sons. Lauri loved being a mother to her family. She sacrificed many of her own wants so her children would have more opportunities.

 After the birth of their sixth child, Lauri and Bob moved their family to Oregon. They eventually settled on the six-acre farm with the big Victorian house in Dayton where they have lived for the past 50 years. Seven more children were born into the family over the years. Each new brother and sister was eagerly welcomed when Mom and Dad would bring the newest addition home from the hospital to the family.

Lauri was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where she served in Relief Society, Young Women's and Primary organizations, as well as many other callings. She was skilled at crocheting and made afghans for all her grandchildren. She enjoyed cooking, baking, sewing and teaching these skills to her children. Lauri thrived on her connections as sister, aunt and friend. But her greatest happiness was that of wife and mother. In her later years, she especially enjoyed being grandmother and great-grandmother to her children’s children.

Two weeks ago, Lauri (Donna) was blessed to host a family reunion which provided an opportunity to enjoy pleasant visits with many of her posterity prior to her death.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, August 29, 2022, in the Dayton First Ward Chapel, 700 Ash Street, Dayton, OR 97114, with viewing from 10 to 11 a.m. Interment will be at Evergreen Memorial Park in McMinnville.