Donald H. Donahue

FUNERAL HOME

Archdiocese of Denver Funeral Home at Mount Olivet

12801 W. 44th Avenue

Wheat Ridge, Colorado

Donald Donahue Obituary

Donald Hugh Donahue, 73, passed away on August 6, 2010 of liver cancer. Don was born on June 7, 1937 in Brooklyn, NY. He attended St. Theresa of Avila Catholic School for 8 years and then Manual Training High School for 4 years, graduating in 1955. At 18, Don worked for Banker's Trust and attended classes at NY University and American Institute of Banking. During high school summers, he would work in Grand Lake, CO. In 1957, Don left the bank and wound up selling Kirby Vacuum cleaners in Bismarck, ND. Don moved to Florida and was a direct factory distributor for Kirby Company and became a member of their Hall of Fame in 1967. Don became a Jaycee Int'l Ambassador in Ft. Lauderdale, FL., and began importing artisans' goods from Peru, Ecuador and Columbia. In 1969 he moved to CO, call his business, Inca Imports, which he ran for almost 35 yrs. Don's wholesale office was at the Merchandis Mart. He was voted as the 18th "Living Legend" by his customers and sales associates. Don was a honorary member of the Peruvian and Ecuadorian Jaycees. In 1980 Don founded the Rocky Mt. Thurnderbird Club which just celebrated its 30th anniversary.Don was Public Relations Director for the Vintage Thunderbird Conference of America/International and has been a member of the T-Bird Owner's Club of Australia for over 15yrs. Don has been a member of the American Legion for 12 yrs and the Lakewood Elks for 37 yrs. Don met and married Beverly Baker in 1957. They had two sons, Donald II and Jeffrey who reside in Baltimore, MD. Son Jeffrey and wife Roberta have two children, Stephanie and Jeff Jr. Stephanie has given Don a great grandson, with a great granddaughter due in October. Don wed Laura and had a daughter, Maria Laura, who was born in Peru in 1971. She is living in Florida and has given Don two grandchildren, Laura Nur Sahin and Alim Enver. Don met and married Linda Moore in 1979. She was a widow and had one son, John Wingo. John married Donna and they have three children; Nick and twin girls Mandy and Lindsey, who all reside in CO. Don is survived by his sons, Donald Hugh Donahue II and Jeffrey Donahue; daughter, Maria; step-son John Wingo as well as all of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Visitation Friday, August 13th, 4:00 PM to 7:00PM, with Scripture Services Saturday, August 14th, 9:00 A.M., both at the Archdiocese of Denver Mortuary. Entombment, Mount Olivet Cemetery. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the Denver Hospice Center.

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Published by Denver Post on Aug. 10, 2010.

Memories and Condolences
for Donald Donahue

4 Entries

Peter Riola

August 11, 2010

Dear Family, I went to grade school and high school with Don. We were "best friends" growing up, and he ate many, many meals with my family in Brooklyn. My mother, Sara, always made extra meals for Don, and gave him packages to take home to his apartment on Flatbush Avenue.

He was a wonderful guy and loyal friend!

I hadn't talked to Don for about fifty years. Then, I found him in Colorado about three months ago. We talked several times since.

When I called today, Beverly told me Don died. A tear came to my eye. My entire family loved Don, and even though I hadn't seen him in years, the loss tugs at my heart.

My love to your entire family. "May light perpetual shine upon Don."

Peter and Martha Riola, Blaine, Minnesota

Richard Glantz

August 11, 2010

God saw Don was getting tired,and a cure was not to be,So He put His around him And wispered,"Come with Me."With tearful eyes we watched him suffer and saw him fade away Although we couldn't bear to lose him,We could not bid him to stay.A golden heart stopped beating,Hard-working hands were laid to rest;God broke our hearts to prove to us-He only takes the best.

Gretchen D. Carman-Palmer

August 11, 2010

Don Donahue was a wonderful, long-time friend of Gary F. Palmer and I, gretchen d. carman-palmer, and our children, David, Steven and Genifer Palmer-Freeman, and of Gary's current wife, Diane Swan Palmer.

When Gary and I were married, Don was a frequent guest in our lakefront home. When he and Laura were married and lived in Lakewood, she and I became good friends, although I couldn't speak Spanish much, nor she English. When she brought little Marie Laura back to Colorado, Don was just so thrilled with that baby. He was rather lost when Laura returned home to Peru to live close to her mother... But Don carried on. He continued to work hard, and eventually married Linda.

Recently I found some pictures of them at a party Gary and I had at our home in Denver. Don had a wonderful smile, and a great laugh. When he had surgery on his nose to remove cancer, it was a bit difficult to get used to this Irishman with a much smaller nose. But, he was the same cheerful, wonderful guy.

We met Don's sons when they were just boys, and he was so very proud of them. It seems impossible to believe that they, like our two sons, are married and have children of their own. I know Don was a great and proud grandfather...and great-grandfather.

I never knew Donna, but to realize Don had three young children is not amazing to me. He had so much vivacity and love and life to give to those he loved.

Gary and he were always the best of friends at the Denver Merchandise Mart. Were Gary in town this week, he would be at Don's funeral. Yesterday Gary sent me notice that Don had died. Gary and Diane live in Brandon, Mississippi, very close to our daughter, GeniferFreeman, and her husband, Bryan and two precious chidren.
We are all saddened by Don's death. He will be remembered fondly by our entire family for his fun spirt, laugh and that New York accent he never lost - nor wanted to. He will be missed.

It is doubtful that I can attend the services as I am unable to drive due to a rather serious concussion I sustained in a recent accident. I would have loved to have sung the Ave Maria for him. Don loved the way I sang that... I will sing it for him, nonetheless, here in my music studio...

Our thoughts and prayers will be of Don and his family this week. The Lord, Jesus Christ will be smiling down on Don Donahue to give him his Grace, and to welcome him home for a job well done!

Gretchen D. Carman-Palmer, 303-794-4778; 5820 So. Windermere St. #565, Littleton, CO 80120. (Please give this address to Laura.)

August 10, 2010

It was a pleasure to have known Don. Every time we visited Colorado, we would run into Don at Iacino events. He will be greatly missed by all. Joe and Laurie Iacino (San Diego)

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