John Francis Donahue

He was raised by his Aunt Martha, Uncle Danny Ryan, and his grandmother, Mary Ryan. He grew up rough and tumble in Dorchester MA. Following B.C. High, he attended Boston College, a Jesuit Catholic University that gave him his lifelong ethos of service with integrity. Upon graduation, he met and married his sweetheart Ms. Joanne McCarthy on September 3rd, 1960, in West Roxbury, MA.

Jack held numerous roles in service to his country including in the United States Air Force, DC Air National Guard, the New England Regional Commission, as well as the Appalachia Commission. He worked for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for 15 years and, after retiring from the US Government he continued to serve as a Finance Officer for Theological College, National Seminary of the Catholic University of America. Throughout his life, Jack worked in service to others, whether it was starting up a basketball league at the Minot North Dakota Air Force Radar Station, standing guard during the Civil Rights movement culminating with the March on Washington, or standing up and expanding charitable organizations, he embodied the notion of a servant leader.

As President of St Coletta’s of Greater Washington, he was instrumental in helping this startup charity become an exemplar organization serving children and adults with intellectual and multiple disabilities.

Jack was an avid tennis player, youth basketball coach, voracious reader, and active community leader.

“Jack was a gentleman, kind and soft-spoken, he had a wry sense of humor, and continuously showed his love and care for others. Jack was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather, who brought joy to every gathering.”

Jack is preceded in death by his son Danny Donahue and is survived by his wife Joanne Donahue his daughter Denise (Adam) Wieder and his grandchildren, Danya and Ryan Wieder as well as his sister, Mary Perry of North Truro, MA.

Jack wished that any tributes be made in the form of a charitable donation, to St. Coletta’s of Washington DC as an expression of sympathy instead of flowers. https://www.stcoletta.org/donate/

A Noon Funeral Mass will be held at Our Lady Queen of Peace on June 10th, located at 2700 South 19th Street, Arlington, Virginia 22204.