Dawna E. Fetter, age 81, of Odessa, NY, passed away on Tuesday November 10, 2026, at Emmanuel Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation, Danville.
Born on September 28, 1945, she was a daughter of the late Dr. Russel M. Fetter, Sr., and Jean C. (Musser) Fetter. She was a graduate of Berwick Area High School, class of 1963. She furthered her education at Mansfield State College; she received her B.S in music education. After graduating she attended Ithaca College where she received her master’s degree in music education.
Dawna was the choral director at Odessa-Montour Central School for 31 years. During her time there, she directed Elementary, Junior High and Senior High music classes and choruses, along with smaller groups such as The Boogie Five and Silversound. Throughout her career she directed 33 musicals plus countless vaudeville shows, talent shows and cabarets. Her love of and dedication to music and her students encouraged several of them to go on to pursue music careers of their own. Even after her retirement from teaching, she continued to bring her love of music to students of all ages with private lessons in her beloved basement studio. She spread her love of music even more by directing the Mark Twain Barbershop Choir and her own barbershop quartet Small Town Sound.
Dawna was a member of the Miata Car Club and was a member of the Ithaca College Band. At the age of 60 she discovered she loved kayaking. She rented a cabin each year at Cayuta Lake, NY just to kayak with her family and many friends that also enjoyed it.
She will be greatly missed by her sisters, Judith D. Burke and husband Mark, Danville; Janet M. Berlin, Huntingdon; and Amy J. Fetter, Mifflinville; and a special family friend, Donna Edwards; nephews, Thom Gallup and wife Ingrid, Williamsport; Russel M. Fetter III, Berwick; and great nieces, Ashlee and husband Daryl, Lilith and partner Wren, and Anna all of Williamsport.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brother, Russel M. Fetter, Jr., sister, Jeanie Fetter in infancy, and brother-in-law Wayne Berlin.
The family would like to extend a thank you to Geisinger Hospice and Emmanuel Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation for their outstanding care, and a very special thank you to her friends who were there for her in New York during her long journey to allow her to stay at her home as long as possible.
A Celebration of Life is being planned for a later date. Heller Funeral Home Inc, Nescopeck is assisting her family.
Online messages of comfort for her family may be sent to condolences@HellerFuneralHomeLLC.com