Donna Diane Maltby

Donna Diane Drayton Maltby, age 81 peacefully went to be with our Lord in Heaven on May 18, 2026.

She was born October 14, 1944 in Detroit, MI to her parents Frank J. and Ruby H. (Preston) Drayton. She lived there until 1957 when she moved to Sarasota, FL. She swam competitively from 1955 to 1961 and graduated from Riverview High School in 1962 where she was the Editor of the Annual and President of Tri-Hi-Y. Donna attended Florida State University on scholarship and then Manatee Junior College.

She married Ralph Maltby on September 14, 1963, her high school sweetheart in Sarasota, FL. She worked as a clerk in the Tax Assessors office. In 1964 they moved to Batavia, NY for Ralph's new job at Ritz-Craft. Donna worked at Graham Manufacturing typing heliflow and aquadyne specs and worked on an old-fashioned phone switchboard. In 1965 they moved to Woodbine, NJ as Ritz-Craft was bought by Flotilla Corp. Donna got a job in Atlantic City working at Chelsea Title and Guaranty Corp.

In 1966, they moved back to Sarasota, FL so Ralph could attend college and she worked at Palmer Bank in the Trust Department. On September 18, 1966 she gave birth to her first daughter Tracy! After 5 weeks maternity leave, she got a new job with Charles Early in Early & Early attorneys as a receptionist and spent most of her time as a legal aid doing research.

After Ralph graduated from the University of South Florida, they moved to Westfield, Massachusetts and she became a full-time Mom with her 2nd daughter Kelly born October 9, 1969, and her 3rd daughter Cathy born February 17, 1971.

In 1974 the family moved to Heath, Ohio and Ralph's first book was published. In September 1976 they founded the GolfWorks, working out of their basement home in Forest Hills and then in 1978 purchasing a farm on SR 13 to move the business. Donna was integral in helping her husband build the GolfWorks into a successful business, supervising order entry and shipping, working full time (plus!) until 1985 when she backed off hours.

Her hobbies over the years included horseback riding, canoeing, snow skiing, water skiing, boating, shelling, ancestry, water aerobics, travel, anything outdoors with the kids - fishing, hiking, swimming.

She loved music, especially musicals and for years attended The Broadway Series with family and friends, including several trips to New York with her daughters.

She had an amazing vocabulary and proofed every book written by her husband, as well as writing her own book. She loved to golf and enjoyed the fun of ladies golf leagues so much

that in 2006 she authored a creative book with Bonnie Weideman, her best friend from high school, titled "Fun Golf Tournaments...Made Easy."

She devoted 10 years to serving as a Girl Scout leader for her granddaughters. Her own journey in scouting began in the 1950s as a Brownie and continued through the Junior ranks, where she earned her five-year pin. As a leader, she especially loved organizing service projects for the girls, including meaningful work with Licking Memorial Hospital and local nursing homes. She was passionate about sharing the value of good deeds and took great joy in teaching the girls patriotic songs

Donna Volunteered her time within the community in many ways.

· Private Industry Council 15 years, including Chairman, receiving several awards.

· Twig 7, President then Executive Board Chairman of entire Twig organization 2001

· Twig 6 worked Granville Thrift Shop 2002-2014

· Girl Scout Leader for her granddaughters for 10 years

· Member Moundbuilders Women's Golf League, various offices including Chairman.

· Member Monday Talks since 1994

Donna devoted her life to her family and bringing joy and adventure.

She was passionate about spending time with her grandchildren, showing them and teaching them how wonderful this world can be. She taught every grandchild to swim, always had a fun craft to do, loved going on a good adventure with them, whether hiking, kayaking, an amusement park or boating on Lake Cumberland, leading them by example with kindness and humility.

In 2019, her and Ralph bought a condo in Cape Coral Florida and spent the last years of her life boating on Dolphin Speed and enjoying new adventures. From summers spent on a lake in Michigan as a child, she loved simply being on the water. It gave her a sense of peace that shone in her face whenever she was on their boat.

Donna was fascinated by ancestry and enthusiastically created family trees for many family and friends.

Donna helped organize her class reunions: Riverview Class of 1962 and collected and wrote "Life Pursuits", a book highlighting the lives of her classmates.

Even at 80 years old, she loved being outside and mowing their Ohio property!

She had a gift for truly listening, and her door was always open to anyone who needed guidance or simply a kind word. She was a steady, calming presence in our lives. Through her example, she taught us kindness, dignity, grace and above all, humility. She lived her

faith daily, often softly singing hymns to herself. The world is a brighter place because she was in it. "Let your light shine before others." (Matthew 5:16)

She is preceded in death by her mother Ruby Hazel (Preston) Drayton, father Frank James Drayton and bothers Frank James Drayton and Richard Drayton.

Donna is survived by her husband Ralph Maltby of Granville, OH / Cape Coral, FL; her daughters Tracy (Ed) Rizor of Granville, OH, Kelly (Roger) Welch of Cape Coral, FL and Cathy Zeno of Granville, OH; grandchildren Morgan Carroll, Justin Rizor, Alex Rizor, Anthony Zeno and Alyssa Zeno, as well as her cherished great granddaughter Bailey.

We will be having calling hours to celebrate her life Saturday May 30th 10am-Noon at Brucker & Kishler Funeral Home at 985 N 21st Street in Newark, Ohio.