Donna Lisa Kopa

Donna “DonnaMomma” Kopa, age 60, passed away on Monday night, July 22, 2024. She was born on October 31, 1963, in Forsyth, Georgia, and was the daughter of Garry and Elizabeth Rolls.

Donna was a wonderful and loving woman who gave her all to her family. She loved God, and was a great woman of faith. She became a first-time grandmother in December 2022, which gave her a breathe of fresh life in her final years. Donna loved being a grandma to Zoe—she loved watching her, visiting her, playing with her, and was never not crocheting a new outfit for her. Donna also loved her German Shepherd dog, Lilah, like her own baby. Donna loved eating popcorn at the movies, had recently completed a Spanish course & was most happy when she was with her family. 

Donna graduated from Kubasaki High School in Okinawa, Japan, where she lived with her family while her father was stationed at Kadena Air Force Base. When he was transferred to Holloman Air Force Base in Alamagordo, NM, she met and married another Air Force man, Leonard Kopa, with whom she had two children, Christopher and Dawn. While she and Leonard divorced after seven years, she remained a good friend to him until his death in 2014.

Donna raised Christopher and Dawn as a single mother in Tampa, FL, at times working three jobs so she could provide a full life for her children. She created such a warm and welcoming home to all of the neighborhood kids and friends of her kids that her house was constantly filled with youth, many of whom have said she was like a second mom to them (hence, how she got the nickname “DonnaMomma”). When Christopher and Dawn grew up and moved out, she relocated to Cypress, TX in 2006 to live near her parents whom she loved so much and her sister who was her “sissy”. 

While living in Houston, Donna loved her time being a part of Houston Faith Church, where she got so much joy in serving in the nursery and in leading the bookstore. 

An Accountant by trade, she really was so caring by nature. She fortunately was already nearby when her father got sick, and was able to be a close and present help through his final months. Donna’s mom was her best friend, and she loved being able to continue living with, spending time with, and being an exceptional help to her even until her last day. With others, Donna was selfless beyond measure, very tender-hearted, so patient, giving, sweet, and supportive. With herself, she was incredibly independent, self-sufficient, and strong, and did not like receiving help for anything she could do herself. Her family lovingly fought her on this until the end.

Donna was a rock to so many. And the void left by her absence will be deep and wide. But we rejoice, knowing that our greatest loss, is her greatest gain—and we take comfort knowing she is safe in the arms of Jesus, the One whom she intimately knew as her provider, her shepherd, her comforter, her protector, her peacegiver, her strongtower, her strengthgiver, and the One in whom she fully leaned on and trusted in through every high and low. 

Donna’s legacy will live on through the lives of the many people she touched, and through her children, including her daughter Dawn, whom she is so much a part of.

Donna was preceded in death by her daddy, Garry Rolls; brother Robert Shane Thomas; brother Garry Allen Rolls II. Donna is survived by her son Christopher Kopa, her very beloved daughter-in-law Angelica Kopa, and granddaughter Zoe Kopa; her daughter Dawn Kopa; Leonard's son, Ryan Kopa, whom she loved as her own; her mother Elizabeth Rolls; her sister Tammy Schnitter; brother-in-law Eric Schnitter; nephew Anthony Rolls; niece Jeanette Vega; niece Kaleann Rolls; aunt Gail Lambert; aunt Faye Harlow; and a host of great-nieces and nephews and cousins.

The Reception for her Memorial Service will be August 3, 2024 at 1:30 pm, followed by a Memorial Service at 2:30 pm; both located at Kingdom City Houston, 2100 Eldridge Pkwy, Houston, TX 77077.

The Burial will follow, at 4:00 pm, at Forest Park Cemetary Westheimer, 12800 Westheimer Rd., Houston, TX 77077. 

Those who attend the Reception, Memorial Service, and Burial are invited to wear something white, light, colorful, or bright. 

If you would like to do something to bless the family, in lieu of flowers, a small donation of any amount would help alleviate some of the financial pressure of this sudden loss and would help enable them to handle Donna’s affairs and continue looking after the people and things that Donna loved so much. You can do so by clicking the donation link at https://everloved.com/life-of/donna-kopa/obituary/

Your prayers, support, and love are more than enough! So this is not a plea, but just an answer to all of those who have so generously offered this kind of support.