Donna Marie Csolak

Donna Csolak lost her battle with ALS on Friday, September 14, 2018. Born & raised in New Jersey, Donna and her husband Greg Hudzik moved to Smith Mountain Lake (“paradise”) in 2014. Although only 62 years young, Donna packed a lot of life into those years.   She worked and put herself through college, graduating Phi Beta Kappa.  She worked for free for a year to get a job in TV news and then worked her way up to News & Public Affairs producer in New Jersey, then New York City.  She ran her marketing business, Communique, for 17 very successful years, loving every minute of working with wineries and putting on wine & food festivals and events.  She was told “You will never make good friends if you move later in life.” She made amazing friends at Smith Mountain Lake, many who became family. Donna worked to travel. Through childhood vacations (camping) and later work, she visited 45 of the 50 United States, the Eastern half of Canada, several Carribean islands and 14 European countries, some as many as five times.  She and Greg loved to fly to a European city, get a car & drive where the mood suited them.  Armed with only a few foreign verses (how much? Please and thank you.  Where is the bathroom? And, I’d like a glass of red wine, please) they managed just fine. Her favorite title in the whole world was “aunt.”  She loved spending time with, and spoiling, her nieces: Jamie, Christina, Kristen, Katie and Michelle. Her biggest regret was that she would not be around to continue spoiling the “loves of her life” Tony, AJ, DD, Lucianna and Alessandra. Donna would say she was completely blessed” by her family and friends. She had a far-flung, close knit extended family that was always ready to get together for plenty of laughter, food and drinks.  She counts herself lucky to have so many good friends who stayed close throughout the years. Donna leaves behind her husband of 29 years, Gregory Hudzik; her devoted identical twin sister, Diane French, husband Marty, Kristen French and Matt Belegiovini, and Katie and Jeff Johnson; her brother Jim Csolak and daughter Jamie Heinemann, niece Michelle Weckesser and Matt Carney, and beloved great aunt Gretta Kovarie, and uncle Tom and Justyna Csolak; special relatives Lisa and Tony Gellner and her grand nephews and niece Tony, AJ and DD; her wonderful in-laws Tom Hudzik, Dorothy Hudzik, Kathy and Lee Millard, and Pat Ciancaretti and husband Frank and Christina and Anthony DiMeglio and Lucianna & Alessandra. She is predeceased by her parents, Charles Jr and Doris Csolak, her grandparents George and Grace Lewis, and Charles Sr. and Peggy Csolak, her parents in-law Joseph and Margeret Hudzik, as well as many special great aunts and great uncles. Her family will receive friends 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Monday, September 17, 2018 at Smith Mountain Lake Community Church of the Brethren. Her family will also receive friends 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Saturday, September 22, 2018 at Kingston & Kemp Funeral Home, Hamilton New Jersey. In lieu of flowers please consider donations to Duke Dr. Bedlock. Arrangements by Flora Funeral Service and Cremation Center, Rocky Mount/Smith Mountain Lake.