Richard Stafford Donoghue

Richard Stafford Donoghue, Sr. passed away on Saturday, January 22, 2005. Dick was born in Houston on January 14, 1943 to Helen Blyth Donoghue and Vincent Stafford Donoghue. He graduated from St. Thomas High School in Houston in 1961. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from The University of Texas in 1965 and his Doctorate of Jurisprudence from The University of Texas School of Law in 1968. He spent thirty years dedicated to the practice of estate planning and probate law. He was among the first group of lawyers to be board certified in estate planning and probate law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He was a fellow in the prestigious American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and was a former Chair of the Estate Planning and Probate Section of the Travis County Bar Association. As a teacher, lecturer, and mentor, Dick was respected by his peers for being generous with his time and knowledge. With a desire to give back to the community, Dick, along with Carolyn Curtis, George Meriwether, III, and Beverly Sheffield founded the Austin Community Foundation. He served on their board as legal counsel for twenty years before becoming Governor Emeritus in 1996. Dick is survived by a large and loving family: his wife of 36 years, Louisa Mahone Donoghue, his son Richard Stafford Donoghue, Jr. and wife Erin Williams Donoghue, his sister Susan Donoghue Weber and husband Dr. Richard Thorp Weber, his sister-in-law Vicki Scott Donoghue, his daughter-in-law Sumita Prasad, and his nephews and nieces Christopher Thorp Weber, Blyth Weber Treuhaft, Vincent Scott Donoghue, John Wade Donoghue, Jr. and Anna Lee Donoghue. Dick is also survived by his unborn granddaughter, whose anticipated arrival in February brought him great comfort and joy in his last few months. He was preceded in death by his parents, his younger brother John Wade Donoghue, Sr., his nephew Michael Vincent Weber, and his son John Mahone Donoghue. Dick will always be remembered for his knowledge and wisdom, his witty sense of humor, his generous, loving spirit, and his abiding love for Longhorn athletics. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8pm on Tuesday, January 25th at Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home. Services will be held on Wednesday, January 26th at St. David’s Episcopal Church at 1pm followed by interment at Austin Memorial Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Austin Community Foundation, P.O. Box 5159 Austin, Texas 78763. Memorials and guestbook online at wcfish.com