Mary Irene Donahue

Mary Irene Donahue (Conners), 99, died peacefully after a short time of declining health on the 3rd of September 2024 at Evergreen Place in Manchester. She spent many years living in Nashua but most recently, Litchfield, New Hampshire. 

Mary was born in East Boston, Massachusetts on 14th of December 1924 to Irene and Joseph Conners. She graduated East Boston High School. On 3rd of June in 1944, Mary I Conners and Francis X Donahue were married, in Boston MA. 

She worked for Dr. Caplan in East Boston, MA for many years until moving to DelMar, New York to follow Frank’s accounting career. They made many long time friends along the way. After retiring Mary and Frank returned to Nashua, New Hampshire to be closer to their grandchildren and great grandchildren.

In the 1980’s Mary and Frank helped found the St John Neumann church food pantry to help serve community needs and it continues to serve the community to this day. Mary always amazed the pantry staff by knowing all the clients names and having a personal word for each one. She even called the older clients Mr or Mrs treating everyone with respect and dignity.

Upon Franks passing in 1990, she devoted even more of her time to the church volunteering to help with duties at the rectory. Her other love was spending time with her grandchildren and being blessed with caring for her great grandchildren of which, she was very proud.

She is survived by her son Robert and his wife Judith, her two grand children Kelly Sousa and Kevin Donahue and his partner Tayla Moore. Mary’s 5 great grandchildren Kiara Sousa, Kayla Sousa, Kacie Sousa, Harrison Donahue and Jameson Moore and a great great grandchild Kaelynn Sousa all residing in Southern New Hampshire.

SERVICES: Calling hours will be held on Monday, September 16, 2024 from 5 to 7 pm at Phaneuf Funeral Home, 26 Kinsley Street, Nashua, NH. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, 11am, at St. John Neumann Parish, 708 Milford Rd. (Route 101A) in Merrimack, followed by internment at Francis Xavier Cemetery in Nashua, NH.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Mary's name may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.