Emma Donahue

Emma Louise Donahue, 91, of Ottawa, passed away Tuesday, April 16, 2024 at OSF St. Elizabeth Medical Center with her family by her side.

Visitation will be on Sunday, April 21, from 2:00pm until 5:00pm at Ottawa Funeral Home. A rosary will be said by the Catholic Daughters of the Americas at 1:45pm. Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 10:00am on Monday, April 22, at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, with Msgr. Mark Merdian officiating. A graveside service will be held at 1:00pm on Tuesday, April 23, at St. Columba Cemetery. 

Emma was born December 2, 1932, in Ottawa, IL, to Jules and Josephine (Herzog) LeBeau . She married Thomas Donahue on April 14, 1956 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Naplate. They were married 61 years when he passed away August 16, 2017.

Emma grew up in Naplate, attended Hills School, and later attended Ottawa High School. She was the middle child of six. She worked for Illinois Bell as a phone operator for over 20 years until her retirement. When she wasn't working, she enjoyed playing bunko and euchre, canning her tomatoes, and was an excellent cook. She was also a world traveler; she took many trips to Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Ireland, and many places in the US. She was a member of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas, the Moose Lodge, St. Patrick's Parish, and was a volunteer at the health department and the hospital.

She is survived by her children, Julie (Barry) Pearson of New Bern, North Carolina, Gail (Donald) Lowman of Ottawa, Paula (Brian) Chevalier of Dexter, Oregon, and Brian and Julie (Meagher) Donahue of Ottawa; her grandchildren, Joshua (Sara) Lowman, Kyle (Brandi Peters) Lowman, Trevor (Ashley) Lowman, Josephine Chevalier, and Noah Donahue; her great grandchildren, Zoey, Molly, Audrey and Emmy Lowman; her brother in law, Earl (Phyllis) Donahue; her sister in laws, Josephine Parrott and Marilyn Donahue; and numerous nieces and nephews. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, Jules and Josephine; her husband of 61 years, Thomas Donahue; and her siblings, Carl LeBeau, Art LeBeau, Martha Bowers, Delores Stimpert, and Shirley Roth. 

Memorials may be directed to the family so a scholarship can be setup at Marquette.

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.