Margaret G. Donoghue

Margaret Donoghue, 85, of West Hartford, Connecticut passed away on Friday April 7th, 2023, at Hartford Hospital, surrounded by her five kids and beloved granddaughter. Affectionately known as “Peggy” by her family, friends, and former colleagues, Margaret was also lovingly known by her kids countless friends as “Mrs. D.” Margaret was raised in West Hartford, growing up first in Elmwood and then later moving near Elizabeth Park, where she loved to spend time. Our Mom’s affinity for the ocean began as a child, a joy that she shared with her mother Dorothy, whom she loved dearly and who would later be known as “Gaga” to her five children. Her and her three brothers enjoyed many summers on Long Island Sound at Indian Neck in Branford. She returned to Elmwood after being married to raise her children and remained at her home until her passing. Margaret first attended Mount St. Joseph Academy in West Hartford. She later continued her education at Regis College where she obtained a liberal arts degree. While at Regis, she was an accomplished singer and member of their notable acapella group. She was also a painter and derived much pleasure from both artist expressions. After graduating from college, she traveled and resided in San Francisco, an adventure and portion of her life that she treasured deeply. Upon her return to Connecticut, she became Assistant Society editor at the Hartford Times. Later she was a Library Clerk for the Town of West Hartford for 25 years. Patrons and colleagues appreciated her knowledge of literature, down-to-earth demeanor, and her “dressed to the nines” style. After her retirement, she lived life to the fullest and relished in her favorite hobbies. The Jersey Shore became her favorite place in the summer months and was a time of the year she always looked forward to. She also took advantage of her close proximity to Hammonasset beach, where she would end the day by visiting the Clam Castle and ordering a platter of clam strips. Cherished memories included phone calls with her brothers and kids, holidays, listening to music on her record player, reading, doing crosswords, and clipping her favorite comics from the newspaper. She was a foodie and loved indulging in burgers from Red Robin & Jake’s Wayback or pizza from Yanni’s and of course ice cream was a staple in her freezer. She loved monitoring the weather from her Brookstone weather station and watching Red Sox & UConn basketball games. There was nothing like watching a Red Sox game with Mom, yelling and cheering, especially after they won the World Series. She also embarked on once in a lifetime trips to Ireland and Mexico and took numerous trips to New Mexico & Chicago to visit her kids. One of our most cherished family memories was when we went to Montreal, which included an amazing dinner at a French cafe. Our waiter remarked “I’ve never seen a family eat so much bread!” Our Mom was a truly remarkable woman, she was quick witted, loved to laugh, had the gift of gab, and lived a fulfilling life. Nothing made her happier than hearing about the lives of those she was closest with. Her devotion to her kids was boundless, but equally inspired by all who knew her. Our Mom always led by example and carried her kids first in her heart and we will never forget that. Rest easy now, Mom and bask in that Spring sunlight you always loved. She was also an animal lover and had many pets over the years, and especially loved her cat, Dede Delia. She is survived by her son Terrence of Winsted; her son Sean and his partner Robin Crandlemire of Newington; her daughter Dorothy “Dede” and her wife Linda Bolinski of New Jersey; her son William “Billy” and his partner Tom Traxler of Illinois; her daughter Patricia “Patty” of West Hartford; her granddaughter Alexsa and her partner Kyle Langevin of Glastonbury; her grandson Kai and his partner Anjeelee Colon; her great grandson Gabriel; her brother Thomas Gormley and his wife Patricia of Woodbury; her brother William Gormley and his wife Wang Yan of West Palm Beach Florida; her brother Stephen Gormley and his wife Patricia of Port St. Lucie Florida along with extended family member Edwin Santos of Hartford and many beloved nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by her parents Terrence and Dorothy Gormley (Debler) of West Hartford. A gathering of family and friends will be on Friday, April 14th, 2023, at Molloy Funeral Home, 906 Farmington Ave., West Hartford from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, with words or remembrances being shared at 6 pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be on Saturday, April 15th, 2023, at 10:00 AM St. Peter Claver Church, 47 Pleasant Street, West Hartford. Burial will immediately follow at Fairview Cemetery, West Hartford A donation in our Mom’s memory can be made to her favorite charities, ASPCA and St. Jude’s Children Foundation. Online expressions of sympathy may be made at www.molloyfuneralhome.com To watch the live stream of Margaret’s service go to the St Peter Claver Church website by clicking https://www.stpeterclaverparish.org/ and then click on “You Tube Live Stream and Recordings of Mass,” then click on the Live Stream.

Margaret G. Donoghue

April 7, 2023