Donna Perry

If there was an entry in the dictionary for ‘dream girl’, it’d be accompanied by a photo of Donna Perry. A tall, slender blonde from Glendale, California, Donna has a slight need for speed – she drives a red Mitsubishi 300GT, and you’re more likely to see her passing you in the fast lane than idling in your rearview mirror, literally and figuratively speaking. “People say I got married too young,” says Donna, who once married a rock guitarist. “You get along better with your kids if you’re younger when you have them.” Donna is a successful model, though she insists it’s not all glitz and glamour. “It’s the hardest thing – being a secretary is probably much easier,” she insists. “As a model, you have to be perfect all the time.” With her appearance as Playboy’s Miss November 1994, Donna follows in her grandmother’s footsteps in more ways than one – she’s the granddaughter of Joan Staley, who appeared in our November 1958 issue and started her career as a legal secretary. “In 1958, it wasn’t considered the thing to do,” says Donna. “Today I can say: Here I am. I’m not ashamed. I look good and I’m proud!” These days, Donna makes her home on the Hawaiian island of Oahu, where she works for a local hospital and raises three kids as a single mother. When she has a rare day off, she loves to spend it at the beach, though she can be convinced to go on a date from time to time. (For all those interested, the way to Donna’s heart is a plate of good sushi, a glass of sake and a single rose.) “I want to be successful in life,” reflects Donna. “Not necessarily rich, but happy.” Her grandmother did give her one vital piece of Playmate-related advice: “To keep my eyes open, but definitely to have fun!” We think she’s on the right track.