Barbara C. Donahue

MANCHESTER-BY-THE-SEA / WORCESTER-
Barbara C. Donahue, 77, of Manchester-by-the-Sea and Worcester, MA. died suddenly but peacefully of heart failure at her Manchester-by-the-sea home Monday March 13, 2006. Born in Worcester on January 8, 1929 she was the daughter of the late John F. Donahue and Signe (Quist) Donahue.

She grew up in the then heavily Swedish section of Worcester known as Quinsigamond Village and graduated from Worcester South High and Hahnemann Hopital School of Nursing. For 30 years she ran the nursery at Hahnemann and later Memorial Hospital in Worcester as Head Nurse. She often remarked how many early-birth babies survived due to advanced technology during her career. She was highly regarded by many Central Mass. Obstetricians and Pediatricians.
After retiring from nursing in 1990, she moved to the North Shore to be closer to her family. She worked for a number of years until recently at the family owned business in Peabody, East-West Mortgage Co. and I Sold My House.com

In the 1950's and 60's she was a member of the Worcester Ice Skating Club at the former ice rink at Webster Square. One of the highlights of her life was a surprise back stage meet and greet with Olympic skaters Michelle Kwan, Scott Hamilton, Todd Eldredge and Katerina Witt after a performance at the Worcester Centrum. The Group then headed to the El Morocco restaurant in Worcester which was then owned by her nephew John Gallagher where they all enjoyed a lavish dinner.

She leaves her two sisters Marjorie F. (Donahue) Gallagher of Manchester-by-the-sea and Lorraine M. (Donahue) and her husband Albert Galler of Scituate, MA. Her nieces and nephews, John F. Gallagher and wife Susan Gilmore-Gallagher (with whom she made her home the last 5 years in Manchester-by-the-Sea); Barbara (Gallagher) and Lewis Stevens of Holden, Ma.; Patricia (Gallagher) and David Everett of Hampton Falls, N.H.; Joseph and Kathleen Gallagher of Ipswich, Ma.; Walter and Victoria Galler of Jacksonsville, Florida; Dwight and Pamela Galler of Marshfield, Ma; and Susan and Edward Kamp of Scituate, Ma; also 18 grand nieces and nephews.

The funeral will be held on Saturday, March 18 from LINDQUIST LUNDIN FUNERAL HOME, 36 Butler Street, Worcester with a Mass at 11:00 AM in St. Catherine of Sweden Church, 1 Wiser Avenue, Worcester. Burial will be in All Faith's Cemetery, Worcester. Visiting hours are Friday, March 17, from 5-7 PM. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Barbara's memory to the American Heart Association , 20 Speen Street, Framingham MA 01701. For directions and online condolence book please visit www.lindquistlundin.com