Patricia Donahue Dolan

Patricia Donahue Dolan "Patty", resident of Keewaydin Island, Naples, Florida, entered her eternal reward after a life complete with the joy of motherhood and grandmotherhood, fidelity to her husband of 49 years, and friendships dating to her childhood in Pittsburgh, PA.

Patty was born January 24, 1954 to John Francis and Rhodora Jacob Donahue, the fifth of thirteen children. She was preceded in death by her godson, Peter Anthony Joseph Foxhoven, and her brother-in-law, Richard S. Donley. She is survived by her husband, James Joseph; her six sons and four daughters-in-law, James (Samantha), Michael, Brian (Allison), Peter (fiancée Ynyra), Gregory (Meredith), and Charles (Blythe); seventeen grandchildren, Anne, John, Olivia, Mary Grace, Abigail, Peter, Katherine, James, Luke, Bridget, Loeffler, Clara, Francis, Charles, Theodore, Welles, and Blythe; twelve siblings, and eighty-one nieces and nephews.

Patty attended Our Lady of Mercy Academy (OLOMA) for high school and remained lifelong friends with her classmates, still gathering with them annually. After high school, she crossed Pennsylvania to attend Rosemont College, where she met and fell in love with a Villanova University student, Jim.

Patty and Jim married on July 31, 1976 and became partners in everything – as employees at Federated Investors; as creators of a beautiful beach home and a Montana resort, as devoted parents to six sons; and, as loving and true spouses in their fiftieth year of marriage.

Patty was an active member of every community she belonged to: she served as President of the St. Lucy’s Auxiliary to the Blind; President of the 25 Club of Magee-Womens Hospital; Vice-President of the Board for Aquinas Academy of Pittsburgh and Trustee for Ave Maria University in Naples, Florida; founder of the Commonwealth Education Organization; President of the Keewaydin Island Community Association; and, numerous family boards and trusts. Patty lived her Catholic faith by attending daily Mass; supporting Catholic schools through service to the Golden Apple Awards, Aquinas Academy of Pittsburgh, and Ave Maria University; pilgrimages to Medjugorje; and through her prayers helped bring three daughters-in-law to the Church.

Patty lived an active life – as a teacher of water skiing to her boys and by perfecting her snow skiing at the tutelage of filmmaker Warren Miller and Stein Erikson. Though the mountains were not her preferred climate, she led her family in Montana for more than a decade and she got to live on the island paradise of Keewaydin Island with Jim. In Heaven, she will enjoy the warmth and brightness of God’s love for all eternity.

On the morning of August 22nd, 2025, Patricia passed away peacefully at the age of 71, at her home. Friends will be received on Saturday, August 23rd from 6:00-8:00pm and on Sunday, August 24th from 2:00-4:00pm and 6:00-8:00pm at JOHN A. FREYVOGEL SONS INC., (freyvogelfuneralhome.com), 4900 Centre Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Monday, August 25th at 10:00am a.m. at Epiphany Church, 184 Washington Place, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.

Remembrances may be made to Aquinas Academy of Pittsburgh, (aquinasacademy-pittsburgh.org) and Ave Maria University, (avemaria.edu).

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