Published November 30, 2018
MELROSE — Kathaleen Ellen Donahue, 71, of Melrose, passed away on Tuesday, November 20, 2018.
Kathaleen was born in Chelsea on October 2, 1947. She was the daughter of the late John F. and Mary Ellen Donahue of Wakefield. Known affectionately to family and friends as “Kitty,” she was a 1966 graduate of Wakefield High School and a 1969 graduate of Lynn Hospital School of Nursing. She earned her master’s degree in Nursing from Northeastern University.
Kitty worked as a Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Practitioner at the Veterans Administration and for Beverly Hospital. She also worked as a Registered Nurse for Melrose Wakefield Hospital and Malden Hospital. Kitty enjoyed interior design, art and fashion and was active in her local community. She was an avid gardener, loved nature and was a strong environmental advocate.
Kitty is survived by her children Andrew J. Jennings and his wife Leslie of Wakefield, Elizabeth C. Shrum and her husband Robert of Chesapeake Beach, Md. and Matthew I. Jennings and his wife Keri of Wakefield; her grandchildren Ryan, Andrew and Madison Jennings and Luke and Suzanna Shrum; and her siblings Barbara A. Maffeo of Melrose, Daniel D. Donahue of Groveland, John C. Donahue of Plymouth, Deborah J. Donahue of Canton and the late Maureen P. Fallon of Durham, Maine. Kitty was also a loving aunt to nine nieces and nephews.
Her funeral service will be held on December 8 at 3 p.m. at Melrose Unitarian Universalist Church, 70 West Emerson Street, Melrose.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the World Wildlife Fund, 1250 24th Street, NW, P.O. Box 97180, Washington, D.C. 20090-7180 or to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, 300 5th Avenue, Suite 6, Waltham, Mass. 02451.
