Obituary of Miriam A Donohue
Miriam A. Donohue, 85, of Mendham, N.J., passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on Friday, March 21, 2025.
She was born in Passaic, NJ in 1939 to Edward and Evelyn Budney and grew and up in Union, NJ. After graduating from Union High School in 1957, she became a flight attendant for Eastern Airlines where she met Robert A. Donohue. They were married in 1964. Together with their children and friends, they led a life of discovery and adventure as they traveled the world. Summers were spent surrounded by friends and family in Southampton, NY. She worked at Drew University in the Political Science and RISE departments.
Miriam was a loving and dedicated wife, mother, and grandmother who shared her love of nature and travel. She was a kind and compassionate woman who brought joy to the lives of others. She bestowed on us an understanding of what is truly important in life: family and friends, kindness and respect, positivity and love. Her appreciation for every day joys was contagious as she actively included others. Among her favorite past times were summers in Southampton, walks in the woods with her dog, visits to NYC for the ballet or baseball games, kayaking in the bay, observing the starlit skies, gardening, listening to music and driving her little red car. With a passion for travel and adventure, she accepted any opportunity to visit new places near and far. As a mother, she was always by our side; coaching softball, leading the Girl Scouts, creating a warm and welcoming home, horseback riding, and showing us the beauty of life all around us.
Miriam is predeceased by her late husband, Robert A. Donohue; elder brother, Edward W. Budney; and nephews Kenneth and Mark Budney. Miriam is survived by her two daughters, Allison Judith Donohue and Laura Donohue Smith; her four loving grandchildren, Sara Jata Goiri Donohue, and Evelyn, Robert, and Clay Smith; her son-in-law, Rowland Smith; younger brother, Frank Budney, sister-in-law, Eleanor Budney and their sons Brian and Jeffrey Budney.
We celebrate her life and the joy she gave us with each new sunrise. A memorial in her honor will be celebrated at a later date.
