CARROLL DONAHUE SWAN

SWAN, Carroll Donahue Widow of the late Thomas J. Swan Jr., died peacefully at home in Palm Beach on April 19, 2024, after a brave battle with four different cancer diagnoses in as many years. Mrs. Swan was born in Boston to the late Dr. Hugh Carroll Donahue, a prominent ophthalmologist, who helped advance the treatment of cataract disease and Mrs. Rose Fitzgerald Donahue. Mrs. Donahue was a niece of Boston Mayor, John Francis "Honey Fitz" Fitzgerald and the first cousin of Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy. Despite her family's Democratic roots, Mrs. Swan volunteered for Senator Barry Goldwater's 1964 Presidential Campaign, cast her first vote for President Richard Nixon and remained a lifelong proud and dedicated Republican. She attended Newton Country Day School of the Sacred Heart in Newton, Massachusetts and Trinity College in Washington, D.C. At Sacred Heart she was a blue-ribbon recipient for academic excellence, was a Child of Mary and served as class president. From an early age, Mrs. Swan was a talented and avid golfer. When she was a child, Dick Chapman, a United States and British amateur winner, took Mrs. Swan under his wing and helped her become an excellent player. Mrs. Swan had her first of 3 holes-in-one on the third hole of Oyster Harbors around the age of 12. She won many tournaments in many different places over the years. Among the more notable was a club championship victory less than three weeks before giving birth to her son and her third victory in the Cape Cod Indian Summer tournament on the very last round of golf she ever played. When she could no longer play golf, Mrs. Swan became an avid swimmer. She also channeled her inner competitive spirit into a passion for duplicate bridge. She was a past chairman of the Duplicate Bridge Committee at the Bath and Tennis Club in Palm Beach and would play bridge there and at the Everglades Club in the winter and at the Wianno Club and the Oyster Harbors Club in the summer. Notwithstanding all these accomplishments, Mrs. Swan's true pride, joy and purpose in life was being a mother, wife and grandmother. She was married to Thomas J. Swan, Jr. for almost 43 years before his death in Palm Beach 13 years ago. The Swans were engaged in Palm Beach on an Easter Saturday evening and by the early 1980's, they spent every Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter as a family in Palm Beach. They had one son, Thomas J. Swan, III, who remembers the family's early years in Palm Beach fondly. In addition to her son, Tom, Mrs. Swan leaves six grandchildren, whom she adored, Thomas J. Swan IV (Sam), Rose Fitzgerald Swan, Grace Carroll Swan, Hope Reilly Swan, Joseph Jake Swan (Jake) and Sebastian Swan. To her grandchildren she was "Moo Moo". Moo Moo's kindness and generosity to her grandchildren knew no bounds and she was a true blessing in their lives. Mrs. Swan was predeceased by her parents; her husband; and her brother, Gerald Donahue. In addition to her son and grandchildren, she is survived by her brother-in-law, Joseph Edward Swan, Sr. (married to Denise); and his three children, Jed (married to Alexis), Tiffany (married to Keith), and Keith (married to Michelle). In addition, she leaves a large roster of close friends from every period, place, and chapter of her life. Several of them would consider her to be a second mother. If a life can be judged by the quality of friendships, Mrs. Swan certainly left the world as a winner. The family is having a Reception, to celebrate Mrs. Swan's life, from 4-6 p.m. on Friday, May 3, at the Bath and Tennis Club in Palm Beach. In addition, a Memorial Service and Reception will be held in Boston at a date to be determined in June. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to McLean Hospital, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA 02478 (federal tax ID number 04-2697981).

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