Mary Jane Donahue Obituary

Mary Jane Donahue, 99, of Cumberland, passed away at CountryHouse Residence on August 2, 2025.

She was born on July 17, 1926, in Duluth, Minnesota, to the late Joseph Seeger and Ann (Roy) Seeger.

Mary Jane attended Saint Agnes and DePadua High Schools in Ashland, Wisconsin, graduating in 1944. On February 9th, 1948, she was united in marriage to Dennis John Donahue of Ashland, Wisconsin, who was then serving with 82nd Airborne division.

Mary Jane cared for their two sons and worked as a switch board operator in Houghton, Michigan, while Dennis earned his engineering degree at Michigan Technological University. Typical of her generation, she organized the household and family throughout her husband's job transfers to Delaware, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, and New York. While in Glens Falls, New York, she received her associate's degree in psychology in 1978. She and her family found themselves in Cumberland, Maryland from 1962 to 1968, where Dennis worked at Allegany Ballistics Laboratories and then again in 1985, where she and Dennis happily retired.

Mary Jane was a lover of animals particularly, Siamese cats, but she kept bowls of feed out for whatever creatures came to her backyard deck abutting a ravine She cared for her son's pet flying squirrel for two years while he was away in the army. She had crows welcome her in the morning, awaiting any left-over cat food and scrapes that she tossed out.

Mary Jane was particularly proud to have been a member and a past president of the Cumberland Women's Civic Club. She was active throughout her retirement, until age and disability prevented her from going to meetings.

Survivors include her sons, Michael of Harpers Ferry, WV and Brian of Indianapolis, IN; her daughters-in-law, Sandy Donahue of Harpers Ferry and Janice Hise of Indianapolis; her grandson Michael R. Donahue Volcano, Hawaii, and granddaughter Natalie Donahue of Indianapolis; and numerous nieces and nephews scattered throughout the country.

Mary Jane was preceded in death by her devoted husband, Dennis on May 9, 2010, and her beloved brothers, Carl, Jerry, and Gene Seeger. Mary Jane's remains will be transported to Ashland, Wisconsin, there to rest next to her husband Dennis in Saint Agnes Cemetery.