Henry Donato

Henry Donato CHARLESTON - Henry Donato, M.D., age 89, of Charleston, S.C., died Wednesday, July 20, 2011. He was born on January 1, 1922, in Valendar, Germany, a son of the late Dan Donato and Marie Mohr Donato. He grew up on Sullivan's Island where his father was stationed at Fort Moultrie. Later, he moved to Mount Pleasant with his family. He graduated from the College of Charleston in 1943 and from the Medical College of the State of South Carolina (now the Medical University of South Carolina) in 1945. He served an internship at the Metropolitan Hospital on Welfare Island in New York City, after which he served in the United States Army for two years. He was stationed in a number of cities and attended a school of epidemiology in Washington, D.C. He returned to Charleston for his residency at the Medical University, one year in pathology and five in surgery. In 1954, he opened his private practice of general surgery in Charleston, which he continued for over twenty-five years. Then he became Director of Emergency Room Services at Roper Hospital, a position he held for several years until his retirement. After his retirement, he moved to Columbia for several years and taught a Surgical Technology Program at Midlands Technical College. Dr. Donato was a member of the Charleston County Medical Society, the Medical Society of South Carolina, the Medico-Chirurgical Club, the Widows and Orphans Society, the South Carolina Surgical Society and the American College of Surgeons. He was also a member of the Charleston Opera Company which produced a number of operas in the 1960's. He sang roles in Tosca, I Pagliacci, L'Elisir d'Amour and others. Dr. Donato is survived by four children: Henry Donato, Jr., and his wife Rita of Charleston; Christopher Daniel Donato and his wife Brenda of Mount Pleasant; Clare Desmond Donato and her husband Michael Lee Hammel of Port Angeles, Washington; and Marianne Koster Donato of Mount Pleasant; ten grandchildren and step grandchildren and ten great grandchildren and step great grandchildren; his brother, Captain Dan Donato, Jr., USN (Ret.) and his wife Gay of Sam Diego, California; several nieces and a nephew and grand nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by two sisters, Helen Donato Paturzo Meisner and Frances Donato Kook. Arrangements for Dr. Donato will be private and are being handled by McAlister-Smith of Charleston. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.mcalister-smith.com. Visit our guestbook at www.postandcourier.com/ deaths