Donna Marie Kuczynski was a storyteller whose warmth, humor, and fierce belief in people traveled far beyond any stage. Long before online storytelling became common, she was already bringing stories into places where they were deeply needed—especially with youth in detention centers, where she encouraged young people to discover that their voices mattered.
Viveca Deanes remembered first meeting Donna more than twenty years ago through juvenile court work, where Donna “would go into the detention home and work with the kids on storytelling.” Kevin Cordi later reflected that Donna Marie was “one of the main reasons I became a storyteller,” describing her as “a fierce advocate” for youth storytelling who “never failed to remind me to pass it on.” Through churches, WRAPPS, and community programs, Donna Marie helped young tellers recognize dignity, imagination, and courage within themselves.
Donna Marie carried stories everywhere she went. Friends remembered how hospital stays somehow turned into communities because she gathered people together with humor and conversation, even creating what Sara DeBeer Zeiger described as “The Table of Mirth” during rehab, where a few residents eventually became nine people gathered around pushed-together tables. She handed out rubber ducks to nurses, attendants, and strangers alike, transforming ordinary encounters into moments of joy and recognition. Sue Schueller shared that one hospital attendant even cried after Donna Marie asked him to sign one of the ducks because “she was the first person who ever recognized his work.” Whether telling Irish lore, stories of knights and chivalry, memories from McKeesport, or family stories rich with humanity, Donna Marie had a gift for making listeners feel welcomed into the story beside her.
During and after COVID, Donna Marie became a beloved presence in online storytelling circles around the world. Week after week, she appeared in Zoom gatherings from Ohio to Ireland to Canada, participating in sessions with Liz Weir, Love of Dunbar, Ballyeamon Barn, and 1001 Friday Nights. Liz Weir wrote that Donna attended online sessions “almost every week for the past six years” and that “her warmth and personality came through in her telling.” Oni Lasana of the Love of Dunbar Collective called Donna Marie “the wind beneath my wings” and reflected that she was “always the first to show up” for their Zoom gatherings. Even when she could no longer travel easily, Donna Marie remained deeply engaged in storytelling communities worldwide, sharing stories, wisdom, humor, and her famous reminders to “hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.”
Donna Marie’s legacy lives not only in the stories she told, but in the storytellers and communities she nurtured. She championed youth storytelling with determination, encouraged emerging tellers before they believed in themselves, and carried a joy for life that remained vibrant into her nineties. As Valerie Farschman wrote, Donna Marie embodied Paul Laurence Dunbar’s poem “Keep A-Pluggin’ Away,” while many others described her as a bright light whose kindness and storytelling changed lives.
Every time a story is shared with generosity, humor, and wholehearted welcome, part of Donna Marie Kuczynski’s spirit continues to speak.
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You can see more details on Donna Marie Kuczynski with the Story Artists Memorial.
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Donna Marie teased that she needed stories for people aged 90 and older to “stay relevant.” She pursued storytelling opportunities with the same enthusiasm and curiosity as any adolescent. I especially remember her attending the virtual workshop to learn more about Dunbar and then becoming part of the Love of Dunbar Collective as a result. While many people slowed down during COVID, Donna Marie became even more present, engaged, and active. Oh, how I look forward to hugging you, Donna Marie!
Donna Marie Kuczynski still has a story. You have a story. We all have stories.