Faith Donoghue

1920 - 2019

Faith Donoghue

Underhill - Faith Donoghue died peacefully on November 7, 2019 at St. Mary's Home at Felician Village in Manitowoc, WI.

She was born Faith Marie Williams to the late Albert and Madeline Williams in Brooklyn, NY on December 27, 1920. Faith was raised in Underhill, VT and Greenfield, MA. She attended Vermont schools until her college years at the University of New Hampshire, Durham. Faith graduated with a degree in English and was recruited to join the W.A.V.E.S. (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service), a unit of the U.S. Naval Reserve. There she worked to decode classified military communications. After the war, Faith worked for U.S. News and World Report. In 1949, she married John Durbrow and they raised their five children in Underhill Center, VT. Faith worked primarily as a teacher and librarian, most recently at Mount Mansfield Union High School. She corresponded until her death with the dear friends she made at MMUHS.

After being widowed in 1974, she married John Donohue of South Burlington, VT in 1982. Faith enjoyed her role in the lives of John's four adult children, their spouses and grandchildren. She was widowed again in 1986.

Faith once said the most important event she witnessed in her 90 plus years was the shift in the status of women, especially their economic power, resulting from the social restructuring of the 1960s and 1970s.

Faith's interests included her P.E.O. sisterhood, genealogy, her beloved 200 year-old non-fiction book club "Fortnightly", UVM's Master Gardener Program, the Underhill Historical Society, and service to St John Vianney parish in South Burlington. Classical music was her constant companion.

Faith leaves her five children, Mary Medora (Deborah Dempsey) Durbrow, Bellingham, WA; John (Karen Steingraber) Durbrow, Manitowoc, WI; Kenneth (Luann Miller) Durbrow, Santa Fe, NM; Timothy Durbrow, Underhill Center, VT; and Deborah (Johh) Sherlock, New Haven, VT. Faith's surviving stepchildren include Christine Hannaford, Virginia; Martha Donoghue, Burlington, VT; Michael (Anne Marie) Donoghue, Burlington, VT; and Mary Frances Collins, South Burlington, VT. Through the combined families, she leaves 13 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren.

Memorial services were held at the Blessed Angela Chapel at St. Mary's Home at Felician Village. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.harriganparksidefuneralhome.com

The family extends heartfelt thanks to Felician Village and the exceptional staff who insured Faith's care and comfort through her years of residency.

They suggest that in lieu of flowers, friends commit to an extra act of kindness to honor Faith's memory.

The Harrigan Parkside Funeral Home and Crematory, 628 North Water Street, Manitowoc, WI 54220 assisted the family with funeral arrangements.