“I am honoring Donna Besler-Tatem, who recently died. She spent her life helping homeless people, working to prevent suicide, and counseling people in jail in our community.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today in loving memory of Donna Besler-Tatem of Canandaigua, New York, a woman defined by faith, family, compassion, and service. She led the Care Net Pregnancy Center of Canandaigua, helped to establish a Nowhere to Go program for people experiencing homelessness, supported suicide prevention efforts, and counseled individuals in the Ontario County Jail. Donna lived with deep faith, love for her family, and compassion for others. She was always warm and welcoming, with a special gift of making people feel seen, heard, and valued. After losing her beloved son Brennan to suicide, Donna transformed her grief into a mission of hope and compassion. Family was precious to Donna. She was the loving mother of Ashley, Grant, Luke, and the late Brennan. She cherished her father; her sisters, including Diana, her sister and best friend; and her precious therapy dog, Piper. In recent years, Donna devoted herself to caring for her beloved mother, who passed away just months ago. Donna’s life reminds us to be kinder, listen longer, judge less, and see the person first. Our Finger Lakes community is better because Donna was a part of it. May God bless Donna, her family, and all who loved her.”