Portland – In the fullness of her time and surrounded by her children, Shirley Irene (Pettey) Donahue passed away peacefully from this stage of life at the age of 85, Monday, January 10, 2011 at Maine Medical Center. Shirley was born, August 27, 1925 in South Portland, Maine the daughter of the late Lawrence and Alice (Shaw) Pettey.
Raised in Portland, primarily by her aunts Madeline and Florence Shaw, she graduated from Portland High School in 1942 and met her future husband John A. Donahue at a USO function. Shirley retired from UNUM with 25 years of service. She often chuckled wondering if UNUM realized they would pay her pension for more then 25 years. Shirley was past president of Deering Memorial VFW Post 6859 ladies auxiliary and an avid beano player. She had been a member of Woodfords Congregational Church in Portland for many years.
She was predeceased by her son, Kevin James who died tragically at a young age; her loving husband of 27 years, John A. Donahue, Sr. who was rushed back from service in Korea, through the efforts of Senator Margaret Chase Smith, to attend their son’s funeral and by a sister, Charlotte (Young) Ramsdell.
Shirley is survived by her daughter, Catherine Scribner and husband Stanley of South Portland; sons, Jeffrey A. Donahue and wife Lisa of Standish, John A. Donahue (Jr.) of Westbrook; sisters, Rae (Young) Alley of Windham, Evelyn (Young) Paskewetz of Madison, Wisconsin; brothers, Robert A. Young of Westbrook, Walter D. Young of Westbrook, Philip Young of Farmingdale, Ralph E Young of Gorham, Norman A. Pettey of Lyman, Lawrence R Pettey of Irvington, Virginia; seven grandchildren, Alyssa, Anthony , Brian, Jeffrey, Julie, Lauren and Melissa; four great grandchildren, Jenna, Sebastian, Tasha and Tobias
Relatives and friends are invited to attend a time of visitation Thursday, January 13, 2011 from 6-8 p.m. at Jones, Rich & Hutchins Funeral Home 199 Woodford St. Funeral Service will be Friday, January 14, 2011 at 1 pm at the Funeral Home. Interment will be in the spring in Forest City Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the The Barbara Bush Children's Hospital
Development Office 22 Bramhall Street Portland, ME 04102 (207)-662-2669
Please visit www.jonesrichandhutchins.com for additional information and to sign Shirley’s guest book.
Arrangements under the direction of Jones-Rich-Hutchins Funeral Home, Portland, ME.
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