Donna Davis Parsons

It is with great sadness that we mark the passing of Donna Davis Parsons, formerly Donna Kaye Byrd of Elkin. Daughter of the Reverend Von Byrd and Hazel Byrd (Cox), Donna graduated from Elkin High School in 1967, was crowned Miss Elkin Valley ‘67-‘68 and competed in the 1968 Miss North Carolina pageant. She went on to receive her MFA in acting from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and subsequently moved to New York City to pursue her dream. Her career spanned some 40 years in the theatre, on television and in films, including leading roles in classical and contemporary plays, on and off Broadway, in regional theaters around the country and in Europe. She was a loving wife to William Parsons and mother of two daughters: Deni O’Toole Sheehan of Elkin and Caroline Juliano presently of London, England. She is survived by them and her brother, Judge David Byrd of North Wilkesboro. When not on stage, Donna managed renovation of her Brooklyn brownstone, created an incredible garden, and threw fabulous parties. In 2020 she returned home to Elkin, living out her final year in the beautiful foothills her ancestors settled as pioneers. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to www.Alz.org to help fight this terrible disease.