Irvin F. Donahue passed away on Wednesday, June 19 in Shelton at the age of 87. He was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts on August 7, 1925, the son of the late Joseph F. and Mary Ellen (McLaughlin) Donahue. He was predeceased by Doris (Racine) Donahue, his beloved wife of 50 years.
Mr. Donahue is survived by his loving children, Diane Parzych of Longmeadow, MA, Michael Donahue and his wife Debra of Seymour, CT and Kathleen Donahue and her husband Kelly Faloon of Pelham, NY., eight grandchildren, Christopher Parzych and his wife Lauren, Gregory Parzych and his wife Martha, and Karalyn Parzych; Timothy, Joseph and Kaitlin Donahue; and Scott and Eric Walls, four great-grandchildren May, Jack, Lily and Eden Parzych. He is also survived by seventeen nieces and nephews as well as brother-in-laws Louis Racine of Westport, MA, George Racine and his wife Claire of Acushnet, MA, Normand Racine and his wife Phyllis of Avon, CT, sister-in-law Theresa Hallet of South Dartmouth, MA, and Barbara Racine of New Bedford, MA. He was predeceased by his sister Claire and her husband John Fogarty and by his sons-in-law Matthew Parzych and Gerard Walls.
Mr. Donahue joined the U.S. Navy upon graduation from New Bedford High School in June 1943. After receiving his basic training in Newport, RI he attended store keeper school in Bainbridge, MD. Upon completion he was assigned to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii where he joined the USS Montgomery, a Destroyer Mine Sweeper in Admiral William “Bull” Halsey’s Third Fleet. He participated in the South Pacific, Palau Island and Caroline Island Campaigns. In April 1945 he was assigned to the USS Adirondack in Norfolk, VA serving in the North Atlantic; until his discharge in June 1946 as a Storekeeper First Class. Mr. Donahue was awarded the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic –Pacific Campaign Medal with two Campaign Stars, the World War Two Victory Medal and the U.S. Navy Commendation.
Upon leaving the Navy Mr. Donahue was employed as a Machinist at the Continental Screw Company in New Bedford, MA for four years. He attended Bentley College in Boston, MA where he received his Associates Degree in Accounting in June 1952. After graduation he relocated to Bridgeport, CT where he was employed by the General Electric Company as an Accountant, then a Distribution Manager for thirty three years. After retiring from General Electric he was employed by the University of Bridgeport and the University of New Haven as a Coordinator in the field of Cooperative Education for 6 years.
Mr. Donahue was a communicant of St. Margaret Mary Church in Shelton, a member of the Veteran’s of Foreign Wars, Post 10466, the Blinded Veterans Association and the General Electric Elfun Society.
Friends may greet his family on Monday from 4 to 7 p.m. in the Riverview Funeral Home 390 River Road Shelton, CT.
On Tuesday friends may greet his family from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Rock Funeral Home 1285 Ashley Blvd. New Bedford , MA. On Wednesday his funeral procession will the funeral home at 9:15 a.m. for a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. in St. Joseph Church New Bedford. Burial will follow in Sacred Heart Cemetery New Bedford. Please leave condolences to his family at www.riverviewfh.com
At the request of his family memorial contributions may be made to the Jimmy Fund at www.jimmyfund.org
