Barry R. Donahue

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Barry Donahue Obituary

DONAHUE, Barry R. Barry R. Donahue, 64, of Hartford, formerly of East Hartford, died Sunday (March 9, 2008), at Hartford Hospital. Born in Hartford he was the son of the late Richard W. and Helen (Hickey) Donahue. He was a graduate of the University of Connecticut and was retired from the Hartford Insurance Group. More recently he worked as a substitute teacher in the Hartford school system and was volunteer in many community organizations. He is survived by three brothers and a sister-in-law, Robert F. and Judith Donahue and Philip W. Donahue all of East Hartford, Dennis M. Donahue in South Carolina, his nephews; Mark, Robert and Brian and his nieces; Tracey, Janet, Mary-Lea and Jennifer. Funeral services will be Friday with a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. in St. Rose's Church, East Hartford. Burial will be private. The family will receive relatives and friends on Thursday from 4 - 7 p.m. at the D'ESOPO-East Hartford Memorial Chapel, 30 Carter St. East Hartford. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Rose's Church, 33 Church St. East Hartford, 06108. For on-line expressions of sympathy please visit www.desopo.com

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Published by Hartford Courant on Mar. 11, 2008.

Memories and Condolences
for Barry Donahue

8 Entries

Peter Elovich

March 17, 2008

I was shocked and saddened by the news of Barry's passing. He and I worked together back in the 80's and I got to know him through his gracious offer to join him for vacation on Nantucket.

We became good friends and shared many great times skiing, hiking and riding motorcycles.

As i'm sure any who knew Barry would concur, he was a great host and tour guide and knowing him enriched my life.

Although I had lost contact with him in recent years, I thought of him often and have fond memories of times spent with him.

My condolences to his family and many friends.

tom lenihan

March 14, 2008

So very sorry to see of Barry's passing away. I knew him as a friend at The Hartford and then again as a co worker at AMS. Barry always had a pleasant outlook on life and people. He will be missed by all those whe knew him

Helen and Edward Keeney

March 13, 2008

To the Donahue Family:

I worked with Barry at The Hartford for many years. He was my supervisor in ITT. He was an easy man with which to work & kept us apprised of his athletic adventures in life. He also was a great entertainer as my husband & I were privy to his backyard picnics. Again, Ed & I extend our condolences.

Jim Coope

March 13, 2008

To Barry's family:
Barry and I worked together at the Aetna.It has been many years but I will always recall his good nature and his ability to get along in a very diverse work group.I know He will be missed by many.Barry was a good man.
Jim Coope

Beth Keyt

March 12, 2008

Billy and I feel honored to have had Barry come into our lives. We have so many fond memories of dinner parties, happy hours, hikes and more. Thank you Barry for you friendship!

Beth and Billy Keyt

Connie (Curcio) Reder

March 11, 2008

It has been many years since I last saw Barry, but all my memories of him are fond ones, and I was saddened when a mutual friend passed along the news of his death.

I first met Barry in 1971 when I went to work at Aetna Life & Casualty (then fondly called "Mother Aetna" - how times have changed!).

He was in Data Processing at a time (similar to The Dark Ages) when department phone lines had to be tied up during computer test runs.

Fresh out of college, I worked in a forms design unit, and Barry's department was one we serviced for special computer forms design. His humor, smarts, generous advice and wonderful irreverence made any visit or call from him a bright spot in the day.

The interoffice mail was a special form of employee subterfuge for notes, jokes and other "unofficial" business, and Barry's distinctive handwriting was always welcome on the last line of those interoffice manila envelopes because you knew you were in for something entertaining!

Most importantly, Barry was a magnet for many of us Twenty-Somethings. When he bought the little house on Ash Lane in Nantucket, a real handyman's special, most of us had never heard of Nantucket, let alone been there. He worked so hard on that house, and then invited a group of us up for a few weekends. We arrived with our bikes and our backpacks, pitched in for food, and wound up loving the island as much as he did.

Back in those days, Nantucket had no McMansions; it was still laid-back and affordable, and Barry made sure we got to know it in all its hidden charms.

He was a benevolent dictator, was our Barry. We all used to tease him about his "forced marches" around town. He was encyclopedic in his knowledge of the history of the island, and no one was allowed to hit the beach without first being given "the tour".

I will be forever grateful to him for introducing me to the rich and wonderful history of the town and the island. It left an indelible impression; it ultimately led to many summer stays there with my husband and son over the years, and to my sister and her husband renting there. (They eventually bought property and built a second home there, and one of their daughters was married a year ago in 'Sconset.) I like to think Barry started it all!

When we were on the island for my niece's wedding, I took a last walk past that wonderful little house on Ash Lane. It's still charming, and it's still yellow, and in my mind it will always and forever be "Barry's House".

I am sorry we lost touch over the years after we both left 'Mother Aetna', but he will always have a special place in my heart.