Thomas Mitchell Donahoo

Thomas Mitchell Donahoo passed away peacefully on May 22, 2024, at the age of eighty-four (84). Tom is predeceased by his parents, John W. Donahoo and Jeanne R. Donahoo; his sister, Jeanne D. Clapp; and brother, John W. Donahoo Jr. He is survived by his wife of nearly 62 years, Hazel Harby Donahoo; his son, Thomas M. Donahoo Jr. (Jennifer); daughter, Elizabeth Donahoo Bishop (Tom); seven grandchildren: Elizabeth C. Bishop, Jane A. Donahoo, Thomas B. Bishop, Thomas Mitchell Donahoo III, James E. Bishop, John W. Bishop, Michael J. Bishop; and a host of Donahoos, Chittys, Harbys and Millers.

A lifetime resident of Jacksonville, Florida, Tom was born on December 22, 1939. He was a 1958 graduate of Robert E. Lee High School, where he excelled in football, basketball, and baseball. Tom served as captain of all three teams his senior year. He was awarded the Student Athlete Thom

McCann trophy as the Most Valuable Player in Jacksonville and the Jacksonville Quarterback Club award as the Outstanding Offensive Back in Duval County. He was the Quarterback and Captain of the North All Star Team the summer of 1958. Local sportswriter Jack Hairston billed him as “a man for all seasons” and predicted success in his chosen field. That same summer, in recognition of his faith and leadership, Senator Bill Beaufort arranged for him to attend the Fellowship of Christian Athletes summer conference in Estes Park, Colorado. He would return with fellow Gator teammates Gene Page, Bruce Culpepper, Tommy Kelley, and Bruce Starling to Estes Park for two more summers. This proved to be a life changing event for all of them.

Tom attended the University of Florida on a football scholarship. In his sophomore year, a career-ending knee injury would change his trajectory. Coach Ray Graves would not accept Tommy’s offer to give up his scholarship, asking him to stay involved with the team, coach quarterbacks and lead the FCA huddle. He also served in student government, was President of SAE Fraternity, and was inducted into Florida Blue Key.

He graduated from The University of Florida in 1962 and two months later married his college sweetheart, Hazel Harby. He received his law degree from Cumberland School of Law in 1965 and his Masters in Tax from New York University in 1966. He was a member of both the Florida and Alabama Bars.

After graduation from NYU, Tom and Hazel returned to Jacksonville to begin his law career. He joined his father in the firm of Donahoo and Rogers, one of the oldest tax and estate law firms in the state and became partner three years later. In 1983 he was in the first class to be Board Certified by the Florida Bar in Taxation and chaired the Tax Section of The Florida Bar in 1984. He was also a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estates Counsel. In 1994 his son, Thomas M. Donahoo Jr. joined the firm, adding a

third generation to the firm’s rich history. Tom retired from active practice in 2019 at the age of 80. Tom was so appreciative of his law partners, Rip Poitevent, Haywood Ball and Bill McMenamy.

Tom also enjoyed a life of community involvement. He connected with the national chapter of FCA to discover how to expand their presence in Jacksonville. Tom put together a local “band of brothers and influential people” that resulted in “the Rally” held in February of 1970 at the Jacksonville Coliseum. Almost 12,000 people attended. The FCA team from Kansas City was so impressed that they asked Tom to hire a full time Director, which he did: he hired young Bob Tebow. Tom’s involvement with city wide Huddle Groups helped obtain scholarships for summer conferences, something he did very quietly. In recognition of his life of service to FCA, he was awarded the Brauch Rickey Award and the FCA Legacy Award.

Tom was a loyal Gator. He joined the Gator Boosters in 1967, was a season ticket holder for fifty (50) years, and a Bull Gator for over twenty (20) years. He helped assist Coach Doug Dickey form the first Gator Club in Jacksonville. During this same period, he served on the University of Florida Alumni Board of Jacksonville. He was a life member of the University of Florida Alumni Association, the Letterman Club, and a proud member of the Silver Sixties which represented the years coached by Ray Graves. In 1999 he was elected to the Gator Boosters Board of Directors and was named President of the Gator Boosters in 2004. In 2005 he became a member of Jeremy Foley’s Athletic Board of Directors during the back-to-back National Championship seasons for the Gator basketball team. The Florida football team also won a National Championship during his term. Tom also served on the University of Florida Foundation Board.

Tom was a lifelong and active member of the St. Mark’s Episcopal Church. During his first term on the vestry, Barnum McCarty was called to be Rector. In 1971 Tom served as his first Senior Warden and a 23-year friendship of active service followed. Recognizing the need for a school to support the mission of the church, Tom was a founding father of St. Mark’s Episcopal Day School, and a founding member of the Board of Trustees, where he also served as a Chair. He remained heavily involved in acquiring property and building and leading the school for decades at the constant calls from Barnum. He was also involved in starting the Ortega River Run and designing the course which has been a race on the running calendar for Jacksonville for over 40 years. Tom was also a member of the Episcopal School of Jacksonville Foundation where he served many terms on the Board, supported athletics, the Fine Arts program, and was an Honorary Trustee. One of the highlights of his involvement with Episcopal was giving the commencement address to the Class of 1984 which included his son, Tommy. Tom also served on Jacksonville University’s Board of Trustees for thirty-three years. He was inducted into the JU Hall of Fame in 1999.

Tom’s life was marked with an incredible spirit of generosity to his family, his community and his church. He was an extraordinary father and hands-on grandfather. He rarely missed a game or a recital. He remained an accomplished athlete and a competitor his whole life. He loved playing golf at Timuquana Country Club with his family and friends. He was especially fond of match play. For fifty consecutive years, he and his brother John took great pride in hosting the Donahoo Duck Hunt for a group of close friends.

Tom cherished his time at his family’s lake house in Interlachen. He loved to work in the woods, grill a steak, and enjoy a sunset with Hazel and friends. At the lake, he taught his children and his grandchildren about life, how to waterski, shoot, fish, drive a tractor and a car. Many special times were shared at “D Country”.

The family wishes to thank the wonderful staff of Ortega Gardens and Community Hospice for their loving care and concern. A service to celebrate Tom’s life will be held Friday, June 7, 2024 at 11:00 am at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 4129 Oxford Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32210 (904) 389-2681.

Memorials can be made to St. Mark’s Episcopal Church.