L. Earl Donahue

Passed away July 22, 2009 at Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane, WA after a brief illness. Earl was born in Salt Lake City, Utah on Dec. 3, 1917 to Leroy and Bertha Donahue. He graduated from high school in Elgin, OR in 1936. He married Anna Marie Rand on Oct. 26, 1940 in Moscow, ID. Together they had 3 sons. Earl is survived by his wife, Anna, of 68 years, sons William E. Donahue, Patrick K. Donahue and wife, DeLayne, grandsons Sean (Ann) and Kevin (Kelsey) Donahue of Spokane, granddaughter Kerry Donahue of DelRay Beach, Fl., great grandsons Aaron, Joshua, Nathan, Spencer and Rylan Donahue all of Spokane and his sister Betty Graves of Oceanside, CA., and numerous nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, a sister, Margaret Witherspoon of Elgin, Or., and his son Arthur D. Donahue in 1971. Earl’s career with the Union Pacific Railroad in the Traffic Department and later as General Freight Agent began in Port- land, OR, in 1941 and moved him to Tacoma, WA in 1945, Spokane, WA in 1949, Pendleton, OR in 1954, Lewiston, ID in 1960 and back to Spokane, WA in 1962. He retired in 1978 after 37 years of service. He was a member of North Hill Masonic Lodge #210, El Katif Shrine Greeters Unit and Spokane Railroad Retiree Club. Graveside services will be held Thursday, July 30, 2009 at 11:00 AM at Fairmont Memorial Park, 5000 W. Wellesley Ave., Spokane, WA. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Shriners Childrens Hospital, 911 W. 5th Ave., Spokane, WA 99204.