Therese J. Donahue

1926 - 2021

Therese J. Donahue

October 2, 1926-August 18, 2021

DAVENPORT-Therese J. Donahue, 94, of Davenport, (formerly of Clinton), died peacefully, with her daughter by her side, on Wednesday, August 18, 2021 at Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House. A funeral mass will be held Friday, August 27, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Victory Church, Davenport. Visitation will be prior to the funeral from 9:30-10:45 a.m. at the church. Burial will be in St. Mary's Cemetery in Clinton.

Therese Josephine McDevitt was born on October 2, 1926 in Clinton, Iowa to Raymond Michael McDevitt and Josephine Anna Owens McDevitt. From her father (a farmer for much of his life) she inherited a love of gardening. She always had a vegetable garden and flower gardens in her yard. From her mother (a teacher in a one-room schoolhouse in the early 1920s) Therese inherited a love of learning. Therese was an avid reader and always had a curiosity about learning new things. From both of her parents, she inherited a love of God and a strong faith in the Catholic Church.

Therese graduated from St. Mary's High School in 1944. She was the treasurer of her senior class. Her future husband, William A. Donahue, was also a member of the Class of '44. They were married on July 3, 1948 at St. Mary's Church. Bill and Therese enjoyed 46 years of marriage until his death on December 19, 1994.

Therese worked in the office at Climax Engineering until her marriage. When their children were older, Therese worked for A.C. Nielsen Company. She also worked for the U.S. Census in 1970 and 1980. For twenty years, she brought Holy Communion to homebound members of St. Mary's parish. Therese had a great passion for genealogy, and she was very proud of her Irish heritage. She was a wonderful cook and a great organizer of family vacations. She and Bill especially enjoyed their trips to Ireland and Hawaii. Therese was very dedicated to her family, and she treasured her time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Therese was a member of Our Lady of Victory Parish, and Beta-Sigma-Pi. She enjoyed a monthly card club for over 50 years with her sister and special friends. When she lived in Clinton, she was a member of St. Mary's Parish and Prince of Peach Parish

Left to cherish her memory are her children, Michael Donahue, William (Linda) Donahue, and Barb (Steve) Rohlf; 6 grandchildren, Owen (Whitney) Donahue, Kelsey Donahue, Brianne Donahue, Tim (Megan) Rohlf, John Rohlf and his girlfriend Alanna Payne, and Daniel Rohlf; 3 great-grandchildren, Connor and Camilla Donahue and Lukas Rohlf; her brother, Al McDevitt of Fairview Park, Ohio, a sister-in-law, Carole McDevitt of Davenport, a lifelong friend Donna Tingleff, and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her sisters and their husbands, Margaret Mary (Vincent) Frett and Alice (Kirby) Dong, two brothers, Leon and Patrick McDevitt, and a sister-in-law, Madonna McDevitt. Also preceding Therese in death were her husband's four brothers and three sisters and their spouses. May they rest in peace.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Our Lady of Victory Foundation or Hand in Hand (an organization which provides inclusive programs for children and adults of all abilities.) Online condolences may be left at www.papefh.com.

"Gone, yet not forgotten, although we are apart, your spirit lives within us, forever in our hearts."