Virginia Pierce Donahue

VIRGINIA PIERCE DONAHUE long time resident of Stamford, CT and Stuart, FL, died on Saturday, May 23, 2009 at her home in Norwalk, CT. She was 90 years old. She was predeceased by her beloved husband of 68 years, Alphonsus Joseph Donahue Jr., former President and Chairman of Donahue Sales Corporation in New York, who passed away last year on June 6th. She was also predeceased by her grandchild, Cassidy Geary, who passed away on January 6th, 2008. Mrs. Donahue is survived by her 12 children, Al III of Ft Lauderdale, FL, Denny of Black Rock, Jack of Norwalk, Gingi Donohue of Little Falls, NJ, Don of Wilton, Tim of Palm Beach Gardens, FL, Jeff of Atlanta, GA, Patrick of Madison, Chris of Norwalk, David of Greenwich, Anne Geary of Norwalk, and Mary Grella of Fairfield. Mrs. Donahue is also survived by 25 grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. Mrs. Donahue was born on December 9, 1918, in Flushing, New York, the third child of John Pierce and Isabel Clabby Pierce. She was a graduate of New Rochelle High School. She and her husband devoted most of their adult lives to raising their 12 children. She often commented on how the challenges of raising such a large family were totally outweighed by the joy she and her husband found in observing how close knit all of the children remained well into their adult lives. She was a devout Roman Catholic and was a member of St. Mary's Church, Our Lady, Star of the Sea, and St. Clements, all in Stamford. She was also a member of St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Norwalk. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, May 28, 2009, at 10:00 AM in St. Thomas the Apostle Church, 203 East Ave., Norwalk. Burial will follow in St. John Cemetery, 223 Richards Ave., Norwalk. In Lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in her memory may be made to Norwalk Hospital Foundation, 35 Maple Street, Norwalk, Ct 06850 or to St. Thomas the Apostle Church.203 East Ave., Norwalk, CT 06855. www.collinsfh.com