Deborah "Deb" Ann Marie Donohoe, 74

Deborah Ann Marie Donohoe (Deb), 74, of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, went home to be with Our Lord on Saturday, June 1, 2024, at the Hospice of North Idaho Schneidmiller House.

She was born March 23, 1950, in Ft. Belvoir, Va. Deb was the daughter of the late Col. Patrick J. Donohoe and Jane Middleton Donohoe. Her sister, Shannon T. Little, preceded Deb in death. 

She is survived by daughters: Colleen Ireland of Annapolis, Md., Moira Cashman and her husband, Tim, of Spokane, Wash., and Meagan Slawson and her husband, Eric, of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho; grandchildren: Kenna Ireland, Ashley Ireland, Maeve Cashman, Aidan Cashman, Megan Cashman, Rowan Cashman, Brody Slawson and Haylie Slawson; sisters: Mary McGarvey and Elizabeth Donohoe, MD both of Annapolis, Md., Regina Spillane of Reston, Va.; brother Patrick Donohoe and his wife, Nina, of Fredericksburg, Va.; and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.

As an Army brat, Deb and her family lived in numerous places, including Virginia, Missouri, Austria, Germany, Massachusetts, California, New York, and Kansas. She lived much of her life in the Pacific Northwest and often said that one of her favorite places was Port Townsend, Wash. Deb graduated in 1968 from Munich American HS in Germany, attended Le Moyne College, and received her B.A. in Management of Human Resources from George Fox University.

Deb was a daughter, sister, and mother with great faith in the Lord and who loved her children and family. While raising her family, she started her career in human resources at Hewlett Packard, worked for Edward Jones, and finished her career at Tacoma Public Schools. She then retired in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Notable achievements include a Red Cross Award for saving her younger sister, Regina, from drowning at a pool in Georgia in 1964. Deb also testified before a U.S. Senate Finance Committee in 1990 for the continuation of the Employee Educational Assistance Program. 

This program helped her to finish her college degree while raising three daughters. 

She actively volunteered in her community in many ways and was on the Board of PRIE (Parents’ Rights in Education) with the local chapter in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Because she believed strongly in her obligation to her country, she participated in local and national political campaigns. Deb leaves a legacy of love for her family and a heart for people (and dogs!). Her life verse was, “Create in me a clean heart, God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” Ps. 51:10

Deb’s greatest joy was being a grandmother, and she was most proud of being “Nana”!

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church (919 E. Indiana Ave, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814). Interment will follow at St. Thomas Catholic Cemetery, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

Please join us in a "Celebration of Life" at St. Thomas Catholic Church Hall (on 10th Street across from the church) following the mass and interment.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to either the Hospice of North Idaho Schneidmiller House (2290 W Prairie Ave, Coeur d'Alene, ID 83815) or the Catholic Medical Association at www.cathmed.org.

Please visit Deb’s online memorial and sign her guestbook at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.