The following message was sent to members of the CanadaPLUS Club on Friday. May 3:

   Rob and Donna at a Carols by Candlelight concert

The loss of a dear friend

CanadaPLUS  lost one of its founder members, Donna Potusak, in a tragic fall on Thursday May 2.

“Rob and Donna” were personally known to many CanadaPLUS members and had attended every event since the launch of the Club. Whether it was Lake Gatun explorations, Canada Day, Thanksgiving, Murder Mystery, Chinese New Year or Welcome back Snowbirds, you knew they would be there. This in spite of a major health setback for Donna when she was struck by meningitis and entered a long period of voice and physio therapy, always with Rob at her side. As she recovered, she returned to her former friendly and outgoing self, and Rob and Donna were always among the first on the dance floor to pay tribute to the musical flavor of the day from The Beatles to Chuck Berry .
The couple had planned to return to Canada in June which would have been a loss to the Panamanian expat community, but we would have been happy for them, and ready to welcome them back as Snowbirds whenever the cold of Saskatchewan reminded them of the warmth of Panama. Our love, sympathy and prayers go out to Rob in these tragic hours.
I personally will miss the occasional encounters in RibaSmith, their smiling presence at my doorstep as they drove up to collect their tickets for the next event and, afterwards, their reflected joyful participation.

David Young
Rob and Donna are pictured here at the December 2012 Carols by Candlelight Concert in Casco Viejo. Donna wearing a Christmas hat, Rob with arm up.