Donna Franklin Tweedle, age 81, passed away at home after an extended battle with rheumatoid arthritis on September 20, 2024. She was born July 25, 1943 in Cordele, Georgia to Nettie Martiel Bridges and Robert Smith Franklin, Jr. At the time of her birth her father was in England as a B-26 Bomber Captain who flew over 30 missions in Germany during WWII, an achievement of which Donna was extremely proud.
Donna spent her childhood in Leesburg, Florida. At age 5, she sensed her destiny in art as she was the only one in her kindergarten class to color a duck bright yellow, as her peers saw it in plain white. From then on, her creative nature could not be confined. After graduating from Leesburg High School in 1961, she went on to attend Wesleyan College, Macon, Georgia. While at Wesleyan she majored in Fine Art. It was during college that she met and married the love of her life, Bill, who was a constant supporter, encourager and critic of her art works.
The many years of discipline in her artistic pursuits yielded large dividends in recognition of Donna’s talent. Donna received many prestigious awards at local, regional and national showings including the Disney Festival of The Masters and the Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival. She also supported local art through involvement in the Leesburg Center for the Arts, serving as president of the Leesburg Art Association, one of the founders of the Leesburg Outdoor Art Festival and co-founding the Pastel Society of Central Florida. Donna’s medium and style evolved over the years from oils to watercolor, to her love of the splendor of pastels. Regardless of the medium, she possessed the same desire for artistic expression as when she was a little girl. She was able to travel extensively, never met a stranger and made numerous friends and mentors.
Her exceptional artistic ability was matched with her kindness and friendship to those who knew Donna. She will be greatly missed by those of the art community and Leesburg Community as a whole.
Donna is survived by her husband, Billy Tweedle; daughter, Mandy Tweedle; Son, John Tweedle; Granddaughter, Sara Tweedle and numerous nieces and nephews.
Services will be at the St. James Episcopal Church on Lee Street, (204 Lee St. in Leesburg) on Saturday October 12, at 11:00 a.m.
