Donatella Rondolino
October 12, 1956 — July 1, 2024
Donatella Rondolino [1956 - 2024]
Donatella Rondolino, the daughter of Judge Louis and Idell Rondolino, was born in St. Petersburg FL on October 12th, 1956. She passed away at her home in Jacksonville FL on July 1st, 2024.
Donatella graduated from St Petersburg High school and attended Florida State University where she studied anthropology. While in college she studied abroad for a year in Florence Italy and returned to Florence for another year after leaving school. Donatella spent over a decade working in Hollywood doing wardrobe and costume construction in film, tv shows, commercials and music videos. After a foray into the world of jewelry and art, she returned to the creative field as a commercial photo stylist.
While proud of her work, Donatella would never want to be remembered only by her career. She worked to live rather than lived to work. Over the course of her life, she lived in Tunis Tunisa, Florence Italy, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Miami, Naples, Sarasota and finally Jacksonville. Donatella loved to travel and was fluent in Italian with some Spanish, French and German she picked up along the way. She loved nature and had a lifelong fascination with bugs, plants, birds and animals. She especially loved cats and dogs, rescuing far too many to mention here.
Donatella was curious, both with the people she met and the things she saw. This curiosity led her to become an avid collector and researcher of the things she found interesting and beautiful. Her fascination ranged from pottery, painting, bottles, trinkets and jewelry to rocks, seeds, bark and feathers. Donatella had a gift where she could walk into the junkiest antique or thrift store and quickly zero in on the one good piece buried in the corner of a cabinet that 1000 people had walked past and all missed. Donatella had an eye for beauty and appreciation of nature. A fearless adventurer, she also liked to drive fast. At age 66 while being ticketed for going 97 miles an hour on I-95 in Florida, she asked the trooper, "Was I having too much fun officer?" Most of all, Donatella was very funny.
Unfortunately, about a decade ago, Donatella was diagnosed with multiple, extremely rare, blood disorders. The result of which necessitated a kidney transplant thanks to a donation by her friend Tom O. Her appreciation for that gift cannot be overstated, nor can her thanks to the Mayo Clinic team that helped her traverse the many continuing health challenges that she faced.
She is survived by her husband Eric Mauger, her sister Tina Douglas and brothers Tony and John, as well as nieces, nephews, and a multitude of friends.
In your travels through life when you're walking somewhere and come across a beautiful shell, pebble, or feather, think of Donatella because if she was there with you, she would have found it first.
Donatella Rondolino, the daughter of Judge Louis and Idell Rondolino, was born in St. Petersburg FL on October 12th, 1956. She passed away at her home in Jacksonville FL on July 1st, 2024.
Donatella graduated from St Petersburg High school and attended Florida State University where she studied anthropology. While in college she studied abroad for a year in Florence Italy and returned to Florence for another year after leaving school. Donatella spent over a decade working in Hollywood doing wardrobe and costume construction in film, tv shows, commercials and music videos. After a foray into the world of jewelry and art, she returned to the creative field as a commercial photo stylist.
While proud of her work, Donatella would never want to be remembered only by her career. She worked to live rather than lived to work. Over the course of her life, she lived in Tunis Tunisa, Florence Italy, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Miami, Naples, Sarasota and finally Jacksonville. Donatella loved to travel and was fluent in Italian with some Spanish, French and German she picked up along the way. She loved nature and had a lifelong fascination with bugs, plants, birds and animals. She especially loved cats and dogs, rescuing far too many to mention here.
Donatella was curious, both with the people she met and the things she saw. This curiosity led her to become an avid collector and researcher of the things she found interesting and beautiful. Her fascination ranged from pottery, painting, bottles, trinkets and jewelry to rocks, seeds, bark and feathers. Donatella had a gift where she could walk into the junkiest antique or thrift store and quickly zero in on the one good piece buried in the corner of a cabinet that 1000 people had walked past and all missed. Donatella had an eye for beauty and appreciation of nature. A fearless adventurer, she also liked to drive fast. At age 66 while being ticketed for going 97 miles an hour on I-95 in Florida, she asked the trooper, "Was I having too much fun officer?" Most of all, Donatella was very funny.
Unfortunately, about a decade ago, Donatella was diagnosed with multiple, extremely rare, blood disorders. The result of which necessitated a kidney transplant thanks to a donation by her friend Tom O. Her appreciation for that gift cannot be overstated, nor can her thanks to the Mayo Clinic team that helped her traverse the many continuing health challenges that she faced.
She is survived by her husband Eric Mauger, her sister Tina Douglas and brothers Tony and John, as well as nieces, nephews, and a multitude of friends.
In your travels through life when you're walking somewhere and come across a beautiful shell, pebble, or feather, think of Donatella because if she was there with you, she would have found it first.
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