Donna Enz Argon

Donna Argon

Donna Enz Argon, beloved mother, grandmother, aunt, and friend, died on April 26, 2023, in Bedford, Mass., where she had lived for 57 years.

She was born on Sept. 21, 1928, in Fort Wayne, Ind., to Carl and Alma (Mahler) Enz.

Surviving family members include four sons, Ahmet Argon and wife, Rebecca, Keswick, Va., Mehmet Argon and wife, LeeAnn, Shirley, Mass., Cemal Argon, Haverhill, Mass., and Kemal Argon and wife, Zeliha, Konya, Turkey; six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Donna’s mother died the day that Donna was born, and two years later, her father married LeNore Hoard. A little sister, Marilyn, followed. Donna was predeceased by Carl, Lenore and Marilyn, as well as her former husband, Rauf S. Argon.

A 1950, Purdue University graduate, Donna met her Turkish husband-tobe, Rauf, on the campus. Soon after graduation, they were married in Istanbul, Turkey, and lived for eight years in Ankara, where the first two of four sons were born. Thus began a lifelong fascination with Turkey’s culture and history.

The family returned to the U.S. in 1960, settling in Massachusetts, where two more sons followed.

In her early 50s, Donna began a joyful career in gerontology and became the founding director of the Bedford Council on Aging. During her tenure, it grew from a small effort housed in a storeroom in the Old Town Hall to a welcoming, busy Senior Center.

The Town of Bedford recognized Donna as “Citizen of the Year” in 1991.

Donna was a member of the Bedford Garden Club, and enjoyed gardening and nature study. Travel, reading, cooking and music, as well as her family, brought her much joy.

A memorial service will be held Sunday, July 9, 2:00 p.m., at The First Parish in Bedford, 75 Great Road, Bedford, Mass.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests gifts to Heifer International. The family also expresses deep appreciation to all the staff at Bedford’s Carleton Willard Village, especially the nurses in the Ross-Worthen wing, for their wonderful care of Donna.