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In Memoriam: Donna Kay Aron Laid to Rest

“If my people which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face. And turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sins, and will heal their land.” -2 Chronicles 7:14 KIV Donna Kay Aron was laid to rest on Saturday, August 19, […]
The post In Memoriam: Donna Kay Aron Laid to Rest first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 years ago

August 23, 2023

Forward Times Staff

-2 Chronicles 7:14 KIV

Donna Kay Aron was laid to rest on Saturday, August 19, 2023, at Silverlake Church in Pearland. She was 68.

Donna Kay was born November 25, 1954, in Kansas City, Kansas, to Zenobia Davis and Roosevelt Aron, Sr. When her family relocated to Houston, her spiritual development was initiated when she attended and was baptized at Wesley AME Church at an early age by Rev. W.D. Williams. Her formative years were guided by Rev. E. E. Coates, and Donna participated in the Sunbeam Choir, the Youth Choir, and the Youth Usher group. As a very active member of the Young Peoples Department, Donna participated in various activities of the 10th Episcopal District at the local, conference, and district levels. Later, in her adult years, Donna joined Holman Street Baptist Church under the leadership of Rev. Manson Johnson. In October 2021, she united with Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church under the leadership of Dr. Marcus Cosby, whose spiritual leadership inspired Donna to further develop her study of the Word.

As a student scholar, Donna Kay attended schools in the Houston Independent School District in her beloved Third Ward. She was a happy student at Douglas Elementary School. She then matriculated to Ryan Junior High School, where she was an honor student and participated in extracurricular activities. She went on to attend and later graduated from Jack Yates High School (Class of 1972) with honors. She attended Houston Community College, where she received her associate degree, and Donna culminated her education at LeTourneau University with a BBA in 2002. Donna worked in Payroll and Accounting with several companies, including Seltzer and Sons, Houston ISD, Majic 102 FM Radio Station, and most recently with Aries Building Systems. She was also a certified mediator and a realtor.

Donna Kay truly enjoyed going to open houses to stay updated on the current market and to network with other realtors. She lived a vibrant life, and one of her favorite ways to spend time was to exercise with friends with early morning walks in Hermann Park before starting her workday. Donna always reported to work earlier than her scheduled time to make certain that all her tasks were finished ahead of time. She was very thorough in checking the quality of her own work as well as the tasks of others. She was known for her “sharp eye” to catch any situations that countered policies and procedures, and she insisted that the mistakes be adjusted.

Donna Kay loved to travel with her brother Carl Davis. They would cover the country, and some of their most memorable trips were to the Democratic National Conventions at Boston in 2004, at Denver in 2008, at Charlotte in 2012, and at Philadelphia in 2016. Donna met Ann Whitehead in Boston, who lived in New York at the time, and they connected for every convention to volunteer or just hang out together. She and Carl shared a love for attending the AME General Conferences and AME Lay Biennial Conventions. She met Barbara Tellis, whose husband was a delegate with Carl at AME meetings, and they would connect at General Conferences at Indianapolis in 2004, at St Louis in 2008, at Nashville in 2012, and at Philadelphia in 2016. The Lay Biennials were held at New Orleans in 2003, at Houston in 2005, at Washington, DC in 2007, at Little Rock in 2009, at Atlanta in 2011, at Charleston in 2015, and at Columbus, Ohio in 2017.

Donna Kay was a doting mother and grandmother to the loves of her life – her son, DeUndre, and her grandsons DeShaune (deceased in 2022) and Trevor, whose presence lit up her life whenever she spent time with them. She loved to take cruises with them at Thanksgiving and she would allow them to select the cruise destination. Donna Kay was a true servant who gave of her time to Volunteer Houston, whose mission is to connect individuals, groups, and companies with nonprofit agencies to transform the Greater Houston community. She thoroughly enjoyed meeting people and learning about the organization’s mission and opportunities to help others. She was a strong advocate for blood donations to the Gulf Coast Blood Bank to help sustain the lives of those who needed blood. She always wanted to make a difference in someone’s life. She received numerous awards and accolades for her tireless efforts to impact lives and to improve the quality of life for all in her community. Donna was always looking for a new adventure that would stretch her, so she joined the Houston Fire Department Citizen’s Academy. She spent 12 weeks in training to learn about fire strategy and tactics, to observe firefighters in action, and to learn basic lifesaving skills. Donna loved to go with her Aunt Walter Dell to jewelry shows and with her special friends to shop, eat and try new cuisines. She also supported the fine arts by attending plays and jazz concerts.

Donna received a divine invitation to return to her Father in Heaven on August 9, 2023. She was preceded in death by her parents; her grandson DeShaune Aron; and her sisters Barbara Davis and Delores Aron. Those who are left to cherish the memories of her rich and loving life are her devoted son, DeUndre Ramon Aron; her grandson Trevor Aron; her brothers Carl Davis, Roosevelt Aron, Jr. of Dallas, Texas; and Howard Watson; her sisters Emma Aron, Bobbie Aron, and Idella Aron Brown (Emmett) of Topeka, Kansas; her numerous nieces and nephews; her cousins Carolyn Land, Michael Green, DeAdrienne Smith, and others; and her close childhood friends Dolly Jefferson Jeffries, Hazel Cato Riles, Patsy Muse Southern, Marsha McGruder Oliver, and Beverly Arrington Houston.

The post In Memoriam: Donna Kay Aron Laid to Rest appeared first on Forward Times.

The post In Memoriam: Donna Kay Aron Laid to Rest first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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Here is what you need to know about finding unique white elephant gift ideas that everyone wants to steal

The best white elephant gift ideas are funny enough to get a reaction but useful enough that people actually want to steal them. Look for gifts with a surprise factor, broad appeal, an inside joke, and just enough personality to spark some friendly competition. The wrapping paper comes off, the room goes quiet for half […]

Published

1 month ago

October 4, 2026

Oakland Post

The best white elephant gift ideas are funny enough to get a reaction but useful enough that people actually want to steal them. Look for gifts with a surprise factor, broad appeal, an inside joke, and just enough personality to spark some friendly competition.

The wrapping paper comes off, the room goes quiet for half a second, and suddenly everyone wants the same gift. That is the sweet spot. A great white elephant pick should make people laugh, lean in, and start plotting their next steal before the turn is even over.

Should a White Elephant Gift Be Funny or Useful?

A white elephant gift can be funny or useful, but the strongest choices usually give people a reason to laugh and a reason to keep the item. A practical gift with an odd design, unexpected feature, or playful theme can get a reaction without becoming something the recipient immediately wants to give away.

The right balance depends on the group. Close friends and family members may enjoy a ridiculous gag gift because they already understand one another’s sense of humor.

A workplace exchange, neighborhood party, or mixed-age gathering usually calls for something with broader appeal. In those settings, humor works better when it is built into an item people could still use afterward.

It also helps to think about how quickly the gift will make sense once it is opened. A strangely shaped kitchen tool, oversized mug, quirky desk accessory, or unexpectedly fancy everyday item can create an immediate reaction. Guests understand the joke right away, while the item still has enough practical value to attract a steal.

Pure gag gifts can be harder to pull off. Something that exists only for the punchline may get a big laugh during the reveal and then sit untouched for the rest of the game. If the goal is to bring one of the gifts everyone keeps fighting over, usefulness gives the joke staying power.

Memorable Present Ideas: Creating Inside Joke Gifts

Inside joke gifts can make a white elephant exchange feel much more personal, especially when most of the group shares the same stories. The trick is choosing a reference that people will recognize quickly instead of building the entire joke around something only two guests understand.

You can turn a memorable vacation mishap, office catchphrase, family story, or long-running group joke into the theme of the gift. A personalized comic book can work especially well when it turns familiar people or a ridiculous shared moment into part of the story.

Think carefully about who the joke involves before ordering anything permanent. The gift should make the person feel included in the fun, not singled out for the wrong reason.

Can You Bring Something You Already Own?

Holiday gift exchanges can be a good place to re-gift something you never used, especially if it is unopened and clean.

The following can all work if they still look presentable:

A duplicate kitchen gadget
An untouched game
A decorative item
A sealed gift set
An unopened candle
A new travel accessory

The goal is to give the item a second chance, not use the exchange as an excuse to clear out damaged or unwanted clutter.

Take a close look at the packaging before wrapping it. Faded boxes, missing pieces, visible wear, or anything that looks obviously used can make the gift feel careless.

Wrapping Budget-Friendly Gifts

Wrapping can make gifts more entertaining before anyone even knows what’s inside.

Misdirection works especially well for fun party games. Put a small gift inside a much larger box. Use packaging from an unrelated household item.

Add harmless weight so guests cannot guess what they are holding. The reveal becomes part of the joke without changing the gift itself.

You can also lean into the theme of the exchange. Bright paper, oversized bows, reusable bags, or deliberately over-the-top wrapping can make an ordinary item feel more memorable. If the gift itself is already funny, simple wrapping may work better so the surprise stays hidden until the last second.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Picking Last an Advantage in White Elephant?

Picking last can be an advantage because you get to see almost every gift before making your move. Instead of choosing blindly from the remaining wrapped presents, you can steal something that has already caught your attention if the rules still allow it.

That advantage depends on the house rules. Some games limit how many times a gift can be stolen.

Others lock an item once it reaches a certain number of steals. If the most popular gifts are already unavailable, the final player may have fewer strong options than expected.

The first player can also get another turn at the end in some versions of the game. That rule can balance things out, since the person who started with the least information may get one final chance to steal.

How Do You Plan White Elephant for a Large Group?

For a large white elephant exchange, set a firm spending limit and establish the stealing rules in advance.

Create a clear turn order before the game begins. Drawing numbers as guests arrive can save time once everyone is ready to start.

Keep the number of steals per gift limited so the game does not drag on. It also helps to have one person track which creative holiday presents have been stolen and when they are locked, especially if dozens of people are participating.

Can You Play White Elephant Virtually?

A virtual white elephant exchange can work over a video call, with one person keeping track of the turn order and each steal. Guests can either mail physical gifts ahead of time or use digital gifts that can be delivered once the game ends.

Set the spending limit and stealing rules before everyone joins. It also helps to decide how gifts will be revealed and who is responsible for sending each one afterward so the exchange does not become confusing.