Irene Louise Donahy, 92, died Saturday, October 22, 2022 at the Frankfort Community Care Home in Frankfort.

A funeral service will be held 11 a.m. Friday, October 28 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Lillis, KS.

Visitation will be at 9:30 a.m. at the church with a Rosary service at 10:30.

Burial will be in the St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery.

Irene was born October 30, 1929, the daughter of Clarence and Anna Leona (Miller) Hochard.  She attended country school for the first few years then to St. Patrick’s grade school in Corning.  After her freshman year, she spent the summer in Wheaton with her grandmother.  During another summer she worked at St. Mary’s Hospital in Manhattan while her sister took normal training at Kansas State University.  In 1947 she graduated Corning High School.

After graduating, Irene went to work for Marley’s in Kansas City in the accounting department until she married Gerald Donahy on June 16, 1951 at St. Patrick Catholic Church, Coal Creek. 

After her marriage, they took up farming working side by side, raising hogs, cattle, horses, grains and hay.  In September of 1955, she lost her daughter, Mary Theresa.  Irene cared for her nine nieces and nephews during one summer, while their mother was hospitalized.

Irene came to the St. Joseph Catholic parish as a new bride and was a member for sixty years until the church closed.  When St. Joseph closed, she joined Annunciation Catholic Church in 2011.  Irene’s faith was very important to her.  She was a member of the Central Association of the Miraculous Medal, America Needs Fatima, Oblates Missionary Club and St. Padre Pio Foundation.

Irene and Gerald did a lot of traveling.  They were able to travel to all fifty U.S.states, Canada, Mexico City, Guadalupe, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia.

A memorial fund is established and will be designated later.  Contributions may be sent in care of Padden Funeral Chapel, Frankfort.