I don't remember my early childhood without John Donahue being in it.
John passed in the Summer of 1968, when a tie rod end on his 1956 Chevy broke on Gray Highway. His car took an immediate left turn and was hit by Ms. Anne Bailey who taught many of us at Alexander III, including John's younger brother Terry. Unfortunately, John was thrown from the car and suffered fatal head and neck injuries.
In addition to Terry, John was survived by an older sister, Janet, who attended Miller and by his wonderful Mother, Ms. Vee Donahue, one of the sweetest women I've ever known.
John was a mischevious type. He was small in stature, but would fight you at the drop of a pin. He was virtually a straight A student and one of the brightest and most organized young people I ever knew. We played ball, built tree huts, camped out, played "ain't no boogers out tonight," and almost anything else you could do as poor kids growing up in Cross Keys.
I cried the day John died. I had no idea how much he meant to me until he was gone. It was my first real encounter with mortality. Terry and I remain friends to this day. Unfortunately, Ms. Vee passed away a couple years back, but I got a chance to spend about half a day with her and talk about John, Cross Keys and other memories.
God Bless you John. Your little brother has grown into a very fine family man and is a legacy to you and all you taught him. Miss you Buddy.
-Posted by Tommy Todd, Class of 1970
I think John was one year ahead of me at Mark Smith. His brother, who looked just like John, was in school with me from 1st grade to the 12th grade.
John died much too young in a car accident, middle to late 60s.
-Posted by Rick Herring, Class of 1970
There were a bunch of us Cross Keys Lake Arrowhead boys when the school year ended we put on a pair of cut off blue jeans and wore nothing else for three months. Swam in them, slept in them went to Moose Park in them and never washed them.
John was my first dear friend to pass on. He loved to fish, smoke Marlboro cigarettes, fast cars and girls. I remember that prior to sleeping out by the lake with the neighborhood boys, John and I had to look after my youngest brother Jeff til my folks got home. Jeff was being a pain about going to bed, so John put a pair of clean underwear on his head, snuck into Jeff's room and scared the bejesus out of him. He stayed in bed after that.
John was so much fun to be around and today when I go through Jesup, I stop and visit him.
-Posted by Gary Branan, Class of 1971
I still remember that silver 1956 Chevrolet Belair with red interior, it was one cool car. I see his brother Terry every few years, he is doing great and lives at Lake Sinclair.
-Posted by Dale Hamilton, Class of 1970
I remember John Donahue quite well as we were in several classes together in elementary school. He had quite a sense of humor and kept us all laughing. What a tragedy to lose him!
-Posted by Mary Anne Franklin Perdue, Class of 1969
Miki Fluker (1970)
John passed in the Summer of 1968, when a tie rod end on his 1956 Chevy broke on Gray Highway. His car took an immediate left turn and was hit by Ms. Anne Bailey who taught many of us at Alexander III, including John's younger brother Terry. Unfortunately, John was thrown from the car and suffered fatal head and neck injuries.
In addition to Terry, John was survived by an older sister, Janet, who attended Miller and by his wonderful Mother, Ms. Vee Donahue, one of the sweetest women I've ever known.
John was a mischevious type. He was small in stature, but would fight you at the drop of a pin. He was virtually a straight A student and one of the brightest and most organized young people I ever knew. We played ball, built tree huts, camped out, played "ain't no boogers out tonight," and almost anything else you could do as poor kids growing up in Cross Keys.
I cried the day John died. I had no idea how much he meant to me until he was gone. It was my first real encounter with mortality. Terry and I remain friends to this day. Unfortunately, Ms. Vee passed away a couple years back, but I got a chance to spend about half a day with her and talk about John, Cross Keys and other memories.
God Bless you John. Your little brother has grown into a very fine family man and is a legacy to you and all you taught him. Miss you Buddy.
-Posted by Tommy Todd, Class of 1970
Miki Fluker (1970)
John died much too young in a car accident, middle to late 60s.
-Posted by Rick Herring, Class of 1970
Miki Fluker (1970)
John was my first dear friend to pass on. He loved to fish, smoke Marlboro cigarettes, fast cars and girls. I remember that prior to sleeping out by the lake with the neighborhood boys, John and I had to look after my youngest brother Jeff til my folks got home. Jeff was being a pain about going to bed, so John put a pair of clean underwear on his head, snuck into Jeff's room and scared the bejesus out of him. He stayed in bed after that.
John was so much fun to be around and today when I go through Jesup, I stop and visit him.
-Posted by Gary Branan, Class of 1971
Miki Fluker (1970)
-Posted by Dale Hamilton, Class of 1970
Miki Fluker (1970)
John died in the summer of 1968, the summer between our junior and senior year.
-Posted by Mike Edwards, Class of 1969
Miki Fluker (1970)
I remember John Donahue quite well as we were in several classes together in elementary school. He had quite a sense of humor and kept us all laughing. What a tragedy to lose him!
-Posted by Mary Anne Franklin Perdue, Class of 1969