Donna Tritz—strong, generous, independent mother and partner died peacefully at 82 on December 12th, 2025 in Chicago, IL. A lifelong Chicagolander, she was born to Veronica and James Smith in San Antonio, TX as her father was being trained there in preparation for serving in WWII.

Raised on the south side of Chicago and the oldest of six, Donna was intellectually curious and always learning. She was happy to be a resource for any question her sister Mary had. She was a proud alumna of DePaul University and loved to do puzzles and knit. The socks, scarves, and sweaters she created will serve as treasured reminders of the love she had for her family. She stayed politically active her whole life. Donna believed that the true measure of a society was how it treated its most vulnerable, and that principle was evident to all who knew her.

After several busy years as a stay at home mom, Donna entered civil service at the Social Security Administration where she retired with more than 20 years of service. Retirement didn't dim her passion for politics or her belief in human dignity—it only gave her more time to argue her points with passion and conviction.

Donna was a devoted mother to and is survived by her daughters, Julia Tritz and Kathy Hart. She is also survived by her partner, John Fallon, her son-in-law Luke Hart, her grandchildren Ben, Eli, and Maggie Hart, her youngest sister, Mary Burke and numerous nieces and nephews. Donna was preceded in death by her parents, nieces Debbie and Liz and nephew Matt, and four of her siblings: Pat, Susan, Jim, and Joan.

The world is a little less bright without Donna, but her legacy of intelligence, generosity, and wisdom will continue to inspire and comfort us. In lieu of flowers, donations to Animal Care League in Oak Park or the ACLU are excellent ways to honor her.