Donna Schnip Shields, age 62, passed away after a courageous battle with cancer in the company of her children at Fletcher-Allen Health Care in Burlington, VT, on December 8, 2013.
Shields grew up in Norwich, CT, and graduated from Norwich Free Academy in 1969. She graduated from Garland Junior College in Boston, MA, and later in life attended Radcliffe College in Cambridge, MA.
She was a nationally recognized equestrian winning six world championships in the three-gaited equitation discipline and set a record of 51 consecutive victories before retiring in 1970.
She was predeceased by her parents, John and Bernice Schnip, who were longtime residents of Norwich and Warren. She is survived by her husband, Thomas Shields of Greenwich; her loving children, Meghan B. McDonald of Kennebunk, ME, and Ryan P. McDonald of Montgomery Center, VT; her sister, Andrea Mendes of New Haven; her nieces, Tiffany and Jade Mendes; nephews, Chad and Aaron Mendes; and her great niece, Angelina Mendes, all of New Haven. Also, her cousins, Anadel, Gary, and Hugh Schnip of Norwich. She was a lifelong friend of Thomas and Lorraine Morosky of Norwich and Del Ray Beach, FL.
There will be a celebration of life memorial service held Friday, June 13, at Sugarbush Resort, Warren. Donations in her memory should be sent to the Cancer Society of Connecticut.
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