About Me — Donna Brown

What do the Barbie doll, Richie Valens, and I have in common?

Barbie was first sold by Mattel in 1959, and the song Oh Donna, written by Ritchie Valens, became popular after Valens died that year in a plane crash in February when he and other musicians J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson and Buddy Holly crashed outside of Clear Lake, Iowa, killing all on board. Oh, Donna, which was first released in 1958 hit Number 2 on the Hot Billboard Hits in September 1959. I was born Donna Swanson in July of the same year.

Who am I?

I grew up in Corry, Pennsylvania (USA). Both my grandfathers had been immigrants. Both of my grandmothers had been born here and had been schoolteachers who taught at the same one room schoolhouse. Dad was a milk tester, and my mother was a housewife and the best babysitter in the world.

I have had many different jobs over the years. I have waited tables, worked in factories, worked in offices, worked in medical, mental health, and nursing facilities. I worked at a drug and alcohol rehab center. I spent six years active duty and ten years as a reservist in the United States Navy as a Neuropsychiatric Hospital Corpsman. (Fancy term for an orderly on a psychiatric ward). I was trained as a nurse (I still feel sorry for any patient who had to suffer through me being their…