(TuttiFrutti) Donna Faye Garoutte

Donna Faye Garoutte, known on DG as TuttiFrutti, of Spokane Valley, WA, has passed away. She was born Sept. 5, 1960.

"April 18, 2008
11:44 PM
TuttiFrutti99, also known as Donna, died in my arms at 8am on the 17th of April. We successfully revived her in the morn with the EMT, but the event faded with the day... on the 18th of April, at the 9.45 of the am we pulled the life support systems helping her.
she passed a few minutes later.
Arod"

Per Arod, her significant other (SO1): "She was an Army brat growing up. She graduated with honors from Southwest (?) Missouri University, double majoring in computer science and math. she minored in physics and music. She was active on a gaming site (Runescape)."

TuttiFrutti joined Dave's Garden on May 18, 2004. She was very active in the PlantFiles and posted many a picture which will prove be so helpful to so many. For someone who didn't even garden when she joined DG, she jumped in with both feet and learned and taught us so much. She has posted that her favorite website is: TuttiFrutti's Garden :) which, if you click on it (in her info), will bring you to the home page of Dave's Garden.

I didn't have the pleasure of knowing Donna, but with all that I've read, she seemed to be a very special and talented woman and exceptionally intelligent. There are many that will miss her wit, her charm, and her love.

On March 19, 2007, TuttiFrutti wrote: "When I joined DG in 2004, I was a first time vegetable gardener with an 20'x18' plot in an area that previously contained lots of perennials: grass, weeds, and monster-sized rocks. ;-)

SO1 (my love, another member here) and I were so pleased with our 'freshman' efforts that we nearly doubled the garden plot for 2005. After an unplanned year out of the garden (2006), we're back in the swing and looking forward to growing even more of those veggies we love in 2007!

The nick 'TuttiFrutti' comes from the way-back machine... it rhymes a bit with my maiden name... but feel free to call me Donna. :) "

"Christmas 2004 :)"




This message was edited Apr 21, 2008 8:48 AM

Dear Donna...

You were important to us on Dave's Garden, always there with a cheerful attitude and helping hand. Although you will stay in our hearts, you will still be missed.

Hugs,
darius

Dear Arod:

Donna was so fortunate to have someone she loved holding her as she made this transition. Letting go is never easy but we can help hold you during this time. Please know that we are with you, and with Donna, in Spirit.

Hugs,
darius

Arod, I'm so very sorry for the loss of Donna. What a true joy she has added to so many here. Our prayers are with you and the family. ((((((Arod)))))

I remember in particular 2 special threads - her photo that won her the Fall Banner
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/fp.php?pid=1799712

And then the one when she found out she was the winner :) She was grinning so big !!!
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=1814443

She was an amazingly talented lady.

Dea

Arod,
My sympathies to you as you go through this difficult time. I didn't know Donna personally but did post on a few threads with her. She had a delightful sense of humor ... always cheerful and fun loving. She will be missed here at DG but her beautiful spirit will live on in the garden.
Hugs&blessings to you and your entire family ... ~Susan

I am very sad Donna left us forever but not in our hearts, she and I talked a lot about skiing and listening to classical music. not many of the people I know have that same passion.... Maria

Oh, Arod...I am so sorry to read this news. Donna was a sweetheart, a smart lady, so encouraging and fun; I loved our exchanges on the long-running "nightowls" threads. When she won all those wildflower seeds, she mailed some to me for my mom and me; I'll never forget her generosity. :) You're in my thoughts and prayers, Arod -- all of those who loved her are. I'll always remember her enthusiasm.

Donna how I enjoyed you my friend I always thought you and A Rod would see my garden some day. Had the great squash grow off ever occured I was going to send you tiny pumpkin seeds to grow ha ha. How I loved your witty barbs of mock in attack mode on chat. I will miss you as will countless others.

A Rod how awful this is I am so sorry for you, Donna was a great other and you were lucky to have shared the time with her that you did. It was far to short. Ernie

I am just in shock here! My sincerest sympathies to Arod and Donna's family.
Donna was one of the sweetest and most sensitive people I have ever met. Her sense of humour and quick wit always brought a smile to my face.Her love of music was infectious. There were many chats we had together while we both listened to the same Queen CD - chatting away about the pureness of the sound.. Ernie I know Donna wanted to see your garden so badly, she even mentioned it the last time we talked.
As I always signed off with Donna - Hugs and smiles across the miles sweet lady.
Dianne

Arod,

I am so sorry to hear this. Like I01, I didn't know Donna well; only passing through a common thread - wish I had known about her love of music. She brought a grounded sensibility and sparkling wit that went a long way to making DG the home we all appreciate.

Extending deep sympathy,
Karen

Arod, you have my sincere condolences. Donna was a wonderful part of DG, and always had a kind word to share - she will be sorely missed.

Hello to all,

tho i won't pretend to be doing well, i want to thank you all for your kind words. Some of you I know from my own interactions... Most through looking at Donna's screen... lol.

She sat / sits 3 feet from me each day... heh, today she would have to type around a vase with a flower from our garden... ;)

silly as it may sound, I decided to write a story of my Life with her... problem is where to put it so others might read it. MysticMeadows said to put it here, but I feel it would get lost in the posts... I tried putting it in the Journal, but there it looses all of its paragraphing... if anyone might help me on this i would be most greatfull.

I Remain,

Arod, proud Lifemate of TuttiFrutti

Arod, I am very saddened to hear of Donna's passing. I am so sorry.

Arod, would you like help setting up a blog over on Blogger? It makes it easy to write and post. Just say the word, friend. :)

Arod I am so glad to see you post and I for one am anxious to read what you have written . Our dear sweet Donna brought out the best in everyone she encountered = she encouraged when one thought there was no sense in going on - it seemed she always knew the right thing to say...... there is one less star in the sky tonight my friend.
I am so sorry for you loss.
Dianne

if you Yahoo, add 'aroditiscalling' ... i'd love to chat with anyone that stops by... :)

hello aroditis. it is with great grief that i read this in the memory garden. Donna has always held a special place in my heart and always will. i am so sorry for your loss of the special love of your life. she always was an angel, helping anyone in her path. never will i forget her help or her friendship. i will think of 'TF' everytime i sign my posts 'tf'

many prayers go out for angels of comfort to surround you and all of those who feel the loss of TuttiFrutti's presence, even online.

♥tf

I sit here holding back on my tears for the loss of a dear dear internet friend who would chat with me online till the late hours of the night and sometimes into the morning too. She was funny, smart, incredibly in love with life, full of the dickens to play jokes on her family and on me. She would not post on DG for months and come into a conversation like she had never left and I know that she was looking forward to meeting me face to face and I was looking forward to that too when I go to Spokane to visit my cousins. She recently was telling me how happy she was that her "son" was doing well and that she and Arod were still loving one another and planning on a very nice garden this summer. Life was good for her.

I always kidded her about when she and Arod got married that she would have to throw a big bash for all the regional DG friends they have and how much that would cost them. He was her dear love and she felt so lucky to have met him and to share her life with him.

Arod, You have my greatest sympathy at this time and the rest of her family too have my sympathy.

I will miss you greatly my dear friend. Rest well and know that soon all who love you will be having fun with you again.

Lani

My deepest sympathy to Irod and the rest of Donna's family. She will be sorely missed here in this garden, but is now in the most beautiful of Gardens!! Jo

This is a link to some memory pages for Donna. Arod is posting to it as he feels up to posting. His sister passed away yesterday so the poor guy is understandably upset yet again.


http://groups.msn.com/Moms3bratz/arodsangelstory.msnw

Arod,

My thoughts and prayers are with you during this very trying time.

Lani

Arod, I'm so sorry to hear you've lost your sister, too. I pray for you daily, many times as you come to mind. I enjoyed reading about how you and your Angel met and had to chuckle about your frantic two days of packing. ;)

thank you Lani...

A Rod so sorry for your double loss sheesh thats harsh. Here's to better days to come for you.

Lani I can't get the link to work.When I went to that web site I could not find where to look.

Arod, lovely for you to write about your 'Angel'... and I'm so sorry to hear you have another loss of someone close.

Ernie,

I don't know what to tell you because it works fine for me and for my son who is in Boise. Try again I guess.

Arod, thank you for sharing with me last night. I loved chatting with Donna and I know that she will be in my heart for as long as I live. She truly was an Angel in so many ways that I know she will be remembered and loved by many and isn't that a great way to leave this life? She was quite a gal.

Hugs,
Lani

i am so shocked and sorry to read this thread. i had no idea. the last time that donna and i spoke was a long while ago by d-mail and we were sharing some laughs. over the past year she was on my mind but i never made the effort to contact her or to see what was going on in her life and now it's too late. i wish i had known her better. she had a rare and wonderful sense of humor. my heartfelt sympathy to her family and friends. debi

Arod, how are you doing? I was just thinking about Donna today, and in so thinking, of you.

TY Dear GW I think about Donna daily and how much joy she brought into my life........
so Arod I think about and blessed that every day Tuti Frutti was in my life.
D

Friday would have been Donna's birthday. I chatted for a time with Arod that evening and we both talked of our love for her and her love of cooking, gardening and other things.

She blessed my life and continues to bless it with memories that are sweet.

Lani Ponditis

Yes, she is certainly missed... as is Arod.

Maybe Arod will come back and talk to us............thinking of you all this week.

Blessings,
Kathy