SHERBORN: George Edward Donahue, age 62, of Sherborn, and a former resident of Dover and West Roxbury, died on Holy Thursday, March 28, 2013, at Massachusetts General Hospital after a valiant struggle with liver cancer. Loved ones including his wife of 20 years, Elaine (McCabe) Donahue, were by his side.
Born in Queens, NY on May 10, 1950, he was the son of the late George E. and Agnes K. (Walsh) Donahue. He was raised in Bayville, Long Island and was a graduate of Locust Valley High School where he had been captain of the football team. A skilled carpenter, George perfected his craft working in various areas of New York. He also spent several months in 1989 working on the island of St. Croix, helping rebuild the area following the devastation left by Hurricane Hugo.
George and Elaine met across a dance floor while each was visiting a ski lodge in Vermont. They married and settled in her native West Roxbury and George became employed with the Mass Water Resources Authority as a carpenter and heavy equipment operator. During the Donahue’s years in West Roxbury and subsequently Dover, George kept his hand in carpentry by taking on projects at private homes. They settled into their Sherborn home nine years ago.
A gregarious and affable man, George had endless energy and genuinely enjoyed helping others. He could strike up conversations with strangers easily and enjoyed making others smile if not laugh. He had a great fondness for animals, was a spokesman for the NEADS program which trains and matches dogs with the disabled, nurtured wildlife where he could, and very much loved Casey, Lily, and Bailey, dogs he and Elaine rescued and call their own. Among the channels for his positive energy was his involvement with the Dover Foundation, a theatre group that sponsors generous college scholarships for Dover students. Over the course of many years he had roles in such plays as The Odd Couple, Oliver! and South Pacific, and was cast as the lead in a production of The Mikado. He and Elaine vacationed at their cottage in West Hyannisport and spent many wonderful days on the water boating. If not fishing off the boat, George could often be found duffing away on a golf course.
In addition to Elaine, he is survived by his sister, Carol E. Libertini of Tivoli, NY, her sons Carmine and Paul and daughter Karley; his mother-in-law, Alice (Hanlon) McCabe of Milton; three sisters-in-law, Mary McCabe of Beloit, KS, Patricia McCabe of Chandler, AZ, and Kathleen Fraska and her husband John of Glastonbury, CT; Kathleen and John’s son Joseph; two aunts, Claire McCarthy and Connie Donahue; numerous cousins; and many close friends. He was also the son-in-law of the late Myles McCabe.
His funeral will be from the John Everett & Sons Funeral Home, 4 Park Street at Natick Common, Natick, on Wednesday, April 3rd at 9:00a.m. with a Mass of Christian Burial in Saint Patrick’s Church 44 East Central Street, Natick, at 10:00a.m. Burial will follow at Saint Patrick Cemetery.
Visiting hours will be Tuesday 4 – 7p.m. Donations may be made in George’s memory to the Mass General Hospital Cancer Fund, Dr. Andrew Zhu Liver Research Fund, MGH Development Office, 165 Cambridge Street, Suite 600, Boston, MA 02114 or NEADS at P.O. Box 213, West Boylston, MA 01583.