Samuel J.M. Donnelly

Mary Ann

You and your family are in my daily prayers forever.

Dave Loftus

Professor Donnelly was one of the instructors in the Legal Education Opportunity Program (LEO) when I took the course during the summer of 1981, just prior to my admission to the College of Law as a 1L. He was among the best and brightest professors and lawyers I have ever met. He helped me immensely during that summer by giving me the foundation for my three years at S.U. I give him the credit for making me think like a lawyer. I deeply regret his passing.
Lee Gronikowski, JD, 1984.

I was a Graduate, Class of 1968.He was a young man back in the '60's, but his great warmth and broad good humor made us pleased to be his students and imbued him with great respect, beyond his years. For years thereafter, we would all do good- natured imitations of " the Great Man", far from Syracuse College ofLaw. His Goodness and Personality will be missed by all whom he touched, even briefly. WE NEED MORE SUCH GOOD HUMAN BEINGS!

RETIRED ATTORNEY
CLASS, 1968

I learned as much law, and more importantly as much about life and the things that are worthwhile from Professor Donnelly as from any other person I have met in my life. His dedication to helping those less fortunate was an inspiration and a shining example to those who knew him - for just one example, not many lawyers, let alone law professors, would support our local Jail Ministry enthusiastically as he did. He will be missed.

I believe that I was in the first class that Prof. Donnelly taught at S.U., in 1964, when I was a second year student. He made a big (and favorable) impression on my class. Little did we know that he would go on to such a long and distinguished career. One of his most visible roles in his later years was as Law School Marshall in S.U. graduations, leading the School with impressive bearing. RIP, Sam. - Barton C. Green, Class of 1965; Editor-in-Chief of Syracuse Law Review, 1964-65. POB...

Mary Ann, I was saddened to hear of Sam's death. I knew him from my days at the SU Law Library. He was a kind man, and touched so many lives. My daughter attended SU Law School and remembers him also. My sympathy to you and your family. Sally Schiesser Sessler

I met Sam Donnelly on my very first day at the College of Law. I sat in the first row of his history of jurisprudence course. I was fascinated with him and have continued to be ever since. Of course no one ever distinguished himself by liking Professor Donnelly, as everyone did. Courteous, gentle and warm, he never permitted his obvious intellectual sophistication to override his love of his students. Then, there was his wonderful Irish sense of humor. Occasionally, he would remind us...

Mary Ann, Sam was one of the kindest and gentle men I have ever known. He was both a great colleague and a wonderful neighbor. I still remember him coming over in the middle of the night with our oldest daughter when Charlotte was born. God bless him-I know he went straight up.

Jon Bischel
Virginia Beach and Williamsburg, VA

Mary Ann, Our deepest sympathy to you and your family. You can be proud of Sam and the way he lived his life.