Figure Skater Dona Lee Carrier DIES IN PLANE ACCIDENT 1961 Forest Lawn Glendale Cemetery

Dona Lee Carrier (October 23, 1940 – February 15, 1961) was an American figure skater who competed in ice dancing with Roger Campbell.

Personal details

Carrier was born in National City, CA to Rev Floyd and Eleanor Carrier; their only child. She started skating at 11 years old after she moved to Seattle with her parents. They then moved to Troy, NY, and thereafter Southern California.[1]

Training

In Hollywood (at the Polar Palace), Carrier joined the Los Angeles Figure Skating Club. However, she had difficulty finding a permanent ice dancing partner. In club and regional competitions, she competed in pairs and ice dancing, with partners including Campbell, Howie Harrold and Dr. Robert Wilkins. When U.S. World Team members Campbell and Yvonne Littlefield dissolved their ice dancing partnership, reportedly over a disagreement between their parents, Campbell and Carrier began skating together in September 1960, winning the 1961 Southwest Pacific Regional and 1961 Pacific Coast Sectional ice dancing titles -– Carrier's first competition victories.

Medals

Carrier and Campbell won the silver medal at the 1961 United States Figure Skating Championships, earning them the right to compete a month later at the World Championships in Prague. They also finished second at the North American Figure Skating Championships that year. She became known as a Cup of the Gold on the Ice as she won a gold medal.[2]

Plane crash

Carrier and Campbell died along with their teammates on February 15, 1961 when Sabena Flight 548 crashed en route to the World Championships. 

A $10 million USFS Memorial Fund was set up to honor the crash victims to support the training of promising young skaters.[3] She was 20 years old. She is interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.[4]

Results

(with Roger Campbell)

Event 1961

North American Championships 2nd
U.S. Championships 2nd

References

1. "U.S. Figure Skating Team". Cemetery Guide. Retrieved 19 July 2017.
2. "Tag Archives: dona lee carrier". Deadwrite. Retrieved 19 July 2017.
3. "Tag Archives: dona lee carrier". Deadwrite. Retrieved 19 July 2017.
4. Resting Places