1916
Rita
2010
Rita Donnelly
June 9, 1916 — September 15, 2010
Rita Donnelly, 94, peacefully passed away on Wednesday, September 15, 2010. She died in Tupper Lake at the home of Patrick and Darlene Donnelly, where she lived for the past 8 years. She went to the God she so faithfully served surrounded by her family and lots of love.
Born June 9, 1916 in Saranac Lake, NY she was the daughter of Martin Donnelly and Nora Van Cour Donnelly. She attended local schools and graduated from the College of New Rochelle in 1938. Her college activities reflect her intelligence and lifelong interests in religion, service, math and language. All 4 years, she was a member of the Athletic Assoc., Riding Group, Der Deutsche Verein, Little Flower Society, Long Distance Club, Mission Club, Sacred heart League, Sodality, and math club-which she was vice president of in her senior year. Rita began teaching in 1953 serving both as a teacher and principal at Lake Colby and Lake Clear Schools, retiring in June of 1981.
Along with her sister, Mary Donnelly Sheehan, and her brother, Francis Donnelly, she co-founded Donnelly’s Ice Cream in 1954. The very machine they originally purchased is still in use today. Rita spent many summer days chopping up bananas and preparing various berries or nuts to help create the flavors of that now famous ice cream! As anyone who dropped by can attest, a visitor was always treated to the flavor of the day. Rita herself ate her last cone on September 3rd, the last “real” food she ever had.
Rita was very devoted to the Catholic Church and a daily communicant as long as her health allowed. She was a member of the Catholic Daughters of America, Third Order of St. Francis, a Eucharistic minister, a fixture at St. Bernard’s for most of her life, and seen in the front pew of St. Alphonsus for many years. When she could no longer attend daily Mass, she watched EWTN for hours. She had a real devotion to Brother Andre for interceding on her behalf when she was a youngster, and continued to support his cause for sainthood and St. Joseph’s Oratory. She counted the Carmelite Sisters and the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement as some of her dearest friends. She loved and was loved by all the priests and sisters who knew her.
Rita also enjoyed reading, nature, painting, music of all kinds, and conversations with her family and friends. The dairy greenhouse thrived under the green thumbs of her and her sister. Every fall, she dressed up the classrooms of the other teachers in the family as she shared her geraniums. Rita truly enjoyed children for her whole lifetime. Even at age 92 she played with the pre-schoolers at Family Matters in Tupper Lake. Just this summer she delighted in balloon volleyball with some family little ones. She also enjoyed travel; visiting Ireland, Rome, England, Greece, and making many trips to Florida. More recently she did lots of camping with Pat and Darlene and their family, right up through this August.
In the past months, she charmed her friends at Hospice. Whether it was “conducting” as Chaplain Jeff sang, patting caregiver Brenda or social worker Ryan, or giving a little peck on the cheek to a volunteer or her nurses, she exuded gentleness and gratitude.
In addition to her parents, Rita was pre-deceased by her brother, Francis, her sister Mary Donnelly Sheehan, a niece, Ellen Donnelly and a niece-in-law, Karen Donnelly. She is survived by her 6 nieces and nephews and their spouses: Peter Donnelly, Martin and Nita Donnelly all of Saranac Lake, Mary Elizabeth and Clyde Black, and Patrick and Darlene Donnelly all of Tupper Lake, and Margaret and John DeForest and John Donnelly all of Brockport, 11 great-nieces and nephews, and 13 great-great nieces and nephews. In addition, she leaves behind many, many friends that stretch from Ireland to Canada and throughout the U.S. that she held close to her heart.
Rita was truly a gentle, humble woman, who not only practiced her religion faithfully, but lived out that faith vitally on a daily basis; quietly, unassumingly and graciously helping anyone and anyway she could.
Calling hours will be held at Stuart, Fortune, Keough Funeral Home in Tupper Lake on Sunday, September19th from 2:00 to 4:00 and 7:00 to 9:00. A Rite of Christian Burial will be held at St. Alphonsus in Tupper Lake with Monsignor John Murphy officiating on Monday, September 20th, at 10:00 AM with burial following at St. Bernard’s Cemetery in Saranac Lake.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be sent in Rita’s name to the Carmelite Monastery
89 Hiddenbrook Drive Beacon, NY 12508-3599 or Franciscan Friars of The Atonement at Graymoor PO Box 300 Garrison, NY 10524-0300
Born June 9, 1916 in Saranac Lake, NY she was the daughter of Martin Donnelly and Nora Van Cour Donnelly. She attended local schools and graduated from the College of New Rochelle in 1938. Her college activities reflect her intelligence and lifelong interests in religion, service, math and language. All 4 years, she was a member of the Athletic Assoc., Riding Group, Der Deutsche Verein, Little Flower Society, Long Distance Club, Mission Club, Sacred heart League, Sodality, and math club-which she was vice president of in her senior year. Rita began teaching in 1953 serving both as a teacher and principal at Lake Colby and Lake Clear Schools, retiring in June of 1981.
Along with her sister, Mary Donnelly Sheehan, and her brother, Francis Donnelly, she co-founded Donnelly’s Ice Cream in 1954. The very machine they originally purchased is still in use today. Rita spent many summer days chopping up bananas and preparing various berries or nuts to help create the flavors of that now famous ice cream! As anyone who dropped by can attest, a visitor was always treated to the flavor of the day. Rita herself ate her last cone on September 3rd, the last “real” food she ever had.
Rita was very devoted to the Catholic Church and a daily communicant as long as her health allowed. She was a member of the Catholic Daughters of America, Third Order of St. Francis, a Eucharistic minister, a fixture at St. Bernard’s for most of her life, and seen in the front pew of St. Alphonsus for many years. When she could no longer attend daily Mass, she watched EWTN for hours. She had a real devotion to Brother Andre for interceding on her behalf when she was a youngster, and continued to support his cause for sainthood and St. Joseph’s Oratory. She counted the Carmelite Sisters and the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement as some of her dearest friends. She loved and was loved by all the priests and sisters who knew her.
Rita also enjoyed reading, nature, painting, music of all kinds, and conversations with her family and friends. The dairy greenhouse thrived under the green thumbs of her and her sister. Every fall, she dressed up the classrooms of the other teachers in the family as she shared her geraniums. Rita truly enjoyed children for her whole lifetime. Even at age 92 she played with the pre-schoolers at Family Matters in Tupper Lake. Just this summer she delighted in balloon volleyball with some family little ones. She also enjoyed travel; visiting Ireland, Rome, England, Greece, and making many trips to Florida. More recently she did lots of camping with Pat and Darlene and their family, right up through this August.
In the past months, she charmed her friends at Hospice. Whether it was “conducting” as Chaplain Jeff sang, patting caregiver Brenda or social worker Ryan, or giving a little peck on the cheek to a volunteer or her nurses, she exuded gentleness and gratitude.
In addition to her parents, Rita was pre-deceased by her brother, Francis, her sister Mary Donnelly Sheehan, a niece, Ellen Donnelly and a niece-in-law, Karen Donnelly. She is survived by her 6 nieces and nephews and their spouses: Peter Donnelly, Martin and Nita Donnelly all of Saranac Lake, Mary Elizabeth and Clyde Black, and Patrick and Darlene Donnelly all of Tupper Lake, and Margaret and John DeForest and John Donnelly all of Brockport, 11 great-nieces and nephews, and 13 great-great nieces and nephews. In addition, she leaves behind many, many friends that stretch from Ireland to Canada and throughout the U.S. that she held close to her heart.
Rita was truly a gentle, humble woman, who not only practiced her religion faithfully, but lived out that faith vitally on a daily basis; quietly, unassumingly and graciously helping anyone and anyway she could.
Calling hours will be held at Stuart, Fortune, Keough Funeral Home in Tupper Lake on Sunday, September19th from 2:00 to 4:00 and 7:00 to 9:00. A Rite of Christian Burial will be held at St. Alphonsus in Tupper Lake with Monsignor John Murphy officiating on Monday, September 20th, at 10:00 AM with burial following at St. Bernard’s Cemetery in Saranac Lake.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be sent in Rita’s name to the Carmelite Monastery
89 Hiddenbrook Drive Beacon, NY 12508-3599 or Franciscan Friars of The Atonement at Graymoor PO Box 300 Garrison, NY 10524-0300
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Rita Donnelly, please visit our flower store.
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