Donna J. Baynes

Donna J. Baynes – therapist, spouse and mother, and spiritual seeker – died on Christmas night after a long battle against lung cancer. She was a beacon of light and love to all who knew her.

For 25 years she practiced marriage and family therapy in San Mateo and Redwood City, California. She had special expertise in counseling individuals with substance-related disorders and co-dependence. She also worked with individuals and couples on relational and occupational problems related to adult victims of abuse.

In 1983, Donna earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from San Francisco State University and in 1991 she obtained a Master’s degree in Counseling, also from SFSU.

In 1991, she became a member of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists and in 1996 she was certified as a Master Addictions Counselor in California. She also completed special training in EMDR, hypnotism and facilitator training, working with at-risk children and with terminally ill patients.

Previously, she worked as a counselor at the Treatment Research Clinic at the University of California San Francisco and at Archway and Professional Treatment, Inc. in Redwood City, CA. She was also Development Officer for Community Hospice Foundation in San Francisco and an activity director at Seton Medical Center and St. Francis Convalescent Hospital in Daly City, CA and the Hospitality Care Center in Jacksonville Beach, Florida.

Donna was a deeply spiritual person, a yogi who belonged to the Self Realization Fellowship for more than 40 years. When her illness made it difficult to focus on her daily meditations, she observed: “God is a funny person.”

She is survived by her husband of 56 years, Bill; three children, Bill Jr., Dana and David; two grandchildren, David Michael and Jenseena; and one greatgrandson, Lukas.

A Memorial Service will be held at Crippen & Flynn Carlmont Chapel (1111 Alameda de las Pulgas, Belmont) on Saturday, January 20 at 3pm.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation in San Carlos (http://www.lungcancerfoundation.org/).