Mrs. Stephen A. Donahoe died 1931

DONAHOE, MCNAMARA, WILLIAMS

Posted By: Ann Krumme (email)
Date: 5/17/2008 at 18:57:24

OBITUARY—MRS. DONAHOE FORMER COUNTY RESIDENT
Sioux Falls Argus-Leader, Jan. 19.

Mrs. Stephen A. Donahoe, widely known Sioux Falls church and civic leader, died suddenly at her home early Sunday. Mrs. Donahoe, who resided at 310 South Minnesota, was 71 years old.

Although Mrs. Donahoe’s health has been poor in recent weeks and she had complained of her illness in the last few days, her condition had not been regarded as serious. Her death came as a shock to hundreds of friends made through out the state as a result of her extraordinary activity in welfare, civic and church work.

Funeral services for Mrs. Donahoe will be held at St. Joseph’s Cathedral at 9:30 a.m., Tuesday with burial in the Catholic cemetery. Msgr. Fitzgerald will conduct the rites. Pallbearers, whom relatives selected from organizations in which Mrs. Donahoe had shown great interest, will be Mayor George Burnside, James Mann, George McDonald, Sam Fantle, M. B. Hoffman and William Chamley.

Mrs. Donahoe’s work in the interest of the Catholic church was one of her outstanding achievements. Her activities were rewarded with a papal decoration, bestowed upon her two years ago by Bishop Mahoney of Sioux Falls after it had been forwarded her from Rome. She was noted for her efforts among Catholic young people of the city, having organized the St. Michael’s school society and the Catholic Cemetery association. She also set up a remarkable record for her work in the Daughters of America and in the Catholic Foresters.

Mrs. Donahoe showed no less interest in civic affairs. She was one of the originators of the Sioux Falls Welfare association and carried out considerable work for the American Legion. She also displayed a marked interest in political affairs.

She also had a part in movements for the improvement and beautification of the city. During the war, she took an active part in affairs of the Legion and the auxiliary.

Mrs. Donahoe was 71 years old and would have been 72 on May 1, had she lived. She was born in Waukon, Iowa, and spent her girlhood there. She received her education in the Waukon schools and shortly after an early marriage to Stephen A. Donahoe, she came with her husband to Sioux Falls. After several years here at a time when Sioux Falls was only a village, she and her husband homesteaded for four years near Alexandria.

Upon their return here, the family became interested in the ice and fuel business and for many years operated such a firm. Mr. Donahoe was active as a democrat and served as postmaster. He died 10 years ago.
Mrs. J. M. McNamara, a sister, Des Moines, and Andrew Williams, a brother, St. Paul, reached Sioux Falls today to attend the funeral.

The surviving relatives are two sons, Dr. John D. Donahoe, and Dr. Harry Donahoe, Sioux Falls; two grandchildren and the brother and sister.

~Allamakee Journal and Lansing Mirror, January 28, 1931