Now instead of remembering the laughter and fun of their time together, her brother Kevin Arrow can only imagine her lying on her lounge room floor in pools of blood.
Mr Arrow and other devastated relatives read out victim impact statements on Friday in the Supreme Court in Wollongong.
In January, a jury took just over an hour to find her recent boyfriend Petero Baleinapuka guilty of murdering his 53-year-old partner in her Woonona villa late on December 31, 2019.
His sentence hearing was told the 58-year-old has still not acknowledged stabbing her at least 14 times with two knives, leaving blood splattered around her home.
Baleinapuka had claimed he lied when he told police "I killed her, I didn't mean to hurt her, I loved her".
He blamed an unknown intruder after claiming to have stumbled upon Ms O'Donnell telling him to "leave her to die," so he hugged her then ran away in shock.
His partner's final cries "Petero, Petero, look at me ... oh my god" were captured at about 10.38pm on CCTV footage outside her home.
Mr Arrow said he, his wife, his brother, and Ms O'Donnell's two adult sons visited her after Christmas when everyone was happy at their get-together.
"Within two days Angela was a victim of domestic violence - she lay dead in pools of blood in her lounge room at Campbell St Woonona, where two days previously we laughed together and enjoyed each others company," he said.
"She did not deserve this violent end."
The audio evidence of his sister's last words was "harrowing, disturbing and haunting" and left the family upset and traumatised.
When he and other relatives had to identify her at the morgue, he held her hand as she lay lifeless.
"Her hands and palms were sliced and cut deeply" by a sharp instrument in her attempt to ward off her killer.
The impact of the murder on the family was "of the highest calibre" on her birthday, while her two "fine" sons had lost the joy of Mother's Day lunch and other special occasions.
Their elderly mother had now been condemned to a life of sadness.
Her son Callum O'Donnell said he was constantly angry, sad, exhausted and completely helpless because of his mother's murder.
"Every day I think about my mum. Everyday I wish I could talk to her.
"Everyday I try to remember all the good times, but instead I simply see photos, forensic descriptions and hear audio of her death."
Justice Des Fagan was told how the very caring woman was a qualified scientist and environmentalist who then went onto get another degree in psychology.
Her mother Eileen said her health had deteriorated since the murder of her beloved only daughter.
When her grandsons now visited her in Bathurst, they also visited their mother's grave.
"I have great sadness knowing as they move forward in life they do so without their mum by their side," she said.
Justice Fagan will sentence Baleinapuka later on Friday.
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