Patricia A. Donoghue

Patricia A. Donoghue July 25, 1940 – May 26, 2025
Patricia A. Donoghue, known lovingly as Pat, passed away peacefully in her home in Whippany, New Jersey, on Monday, May 26, 2025, at the age of 84, following complications from Parkinson's Disease. Born in Newark, NJ, on July 25, 1940, Pat was the daughter of the late Peter and Mildred Degnan.
A devoted mother, grandmother, sister, nurse, and friend, Pat lived a life defined by compassion, dedication, and grace. She was the proud mother of Edward G. Donoghue and his wife Mary Beth, and Carolyn P. Donoghue and her partner, Jason Bennett. Her greatest joys included her beloved grandchildren, Katherine (Katie) Donoghue and Patrick Donoghue, whose lives she enriched with warmth, wisdom, and unconditional love.
Pat's extended family meant the world to her. She is predeceased by her sister Jean (Degnan) Larkin and brother-in-law Henry Larkin, and her brother-in-law William Timlen. She is survived by her siblings Peter Degnan and his wife Doris, Mary (Degnan) Timlen, and John Degnan and his wife Connie. Pat also leaves behind several cherished nieces and nephews, along with her dearest friend, Mary McCaughey.
Pat answered a lifelong calling to care for others, serving as a Registered Nurse at Morristown Medical Center for almost 50 years. Her dedication and excellence were recognized when she was honored as Nurse of the Year in 2016. She was deeply respected by colleagues and beloved by patients for the dignity, respect, and compassion with which she practiced her profession.
She graduated from St. Vincent's Academy in Newark in 1957, received her RN from St. Michael's Nursing School in 1961, and later earned her Bachelor of Science in Human Resources from Upsala College in 1992-an inspiring testament to her lifelong love of learning.
Outside of her work, Pat was an avid traveler, a passionate reader, a green-thumbed gardener, and a lover of cross-country skiing. Her vibrant interests reflected her curious, thoughtful nature and her love for life's quiet pleasures.
Pat's legacy is one of kindness, resilience, and a fierce devotion to those she loved. Her memory will live on in the hearts of all who were fortunate enough to know her.
Services will be held at the Bradley-Braviak Funeral Home, 49 Whippany Road, Whippany, NJ, on Saturday, May 31, 2025. The viewing will take place from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., followed by a service at the funeral home at 11:30 a.m. Committal service will follow at Gate of Heaven Mausoleum in East Hanover, NJ.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Pat's name to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research at give.michaeljfox.org or by mail to P.O. Box 5014, Hagerstown, MD 21741.
To send the family a condolence, please visit www.bradleyfuneralhomes.com