Robert J. "Bob" Donahue

1939 - 2020

Donahue, Robert "Bob" J. GROVELAND, Fla. Robert Donahue died with his loving wife, Jody Ryan, at his side on Wednesday, January 22, 2020, at 80 years of age. They had been married for twelve years. He leaves behind a first wife, Barbara Alker, of Prattville, Ala., and West Palm Beach, Fla. His son, Michael Bennett Donahue and his bride, Amy Jisun Ahn, live in Glen Rock, N.J. He was the son of long deceased Helen and Joseph Donahue of Mechanicville, where he lived for many years. He was a graduate of Mechanicville High School and a member of the somewhat notorious class of 1957 of which he was the class treasurer. Mr. Donahue also had a bachelor's and master's degree in history and English from the State University of New York at Albany. Upon graduation from college he took employment with the state of New York and wound up as assistant commissioner of The Office of Human Resource Development, from which he retired in 1995. During his thirty-year career, Mr. Donahue innovated many new approaches to the funding of social services training which have been adopted and are still used today nationwide. During the many years since his retirement, he opened and managed three corporations, one of which actually made a little money. His most rewarding work was as a home designer and builder. He had been a large-format landscape photographer for 30 years and most of his photographs still decorate his beautiful home. His son, Michael, who has a master's degree in fine arts, followed him in this endeavor. He leaves many friends and acquaintances in the Trilogy Orlando development in Groveland, Fla. Mr. Donahue died of metastasized prostate cancer, with which he was diagnosed at 75 years old. Bob had requested no memorial service. "May the Angels of the Lord lead him to paradise before the devil knows he's dead."