Cleo Catharine Mellott Donahue, 95, of Ashland, died peacefully at home with her family by her side on March 18, 2019.
She was born in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, in October 1923 to Catharine Keefer Mellott and Rankin James Mellott. Following her graduation from Mc-
Connellsburg High School, she attended Penn State University at the age of 16. Cleo received a degree in Education and Home Economics from Penn State and would forever be a Nittany Lion. Cleo greatly appreciated the support she received for college from her sister Nellie, her mother Catharine, and her uncle Roy Mellott.
She met her future husband of 73 years, James T. Donahue, at Penn State Pennsylvania, when he was sent there for pre-flight training going into WWII. Cleo first taught school in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but soon followed James to Harlingen, Texas, where they were married Sept. 1, 1944. She then moved to Riverside, California, with her new husband, and lived there till her flyboy came back home.
Following the war, she taught in Blacksburg, while her husband completed his degree at Virginia Polytechnic Institute. Cleo and James then moved to Petersburg, where she taught second and third grade, raised four children, and resided in Petersburg for over 30 years.
Cleo with her husband James resided in Harlingen, Texas, Riverside, California, Blacksburg, Petersburg, Webster Mills, Pennsylvania, Mathews, and finally Ashland where they lived with their son Stephen, his wife Sharon, grandson John, and granddaughter Jenny.
Cleo was a teacher, artist, gardener, and a terrific mom. She was constantly carting us kids to the pool, school, band concerts, and sporting events. She was a great mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She never missed anyone’s birthday, and loved to send and receive cards and letters.
Cleo is survived by her brother, Alan Mellott and his wife Sally; her brother, Dale Mellott and his wife Esther, and her sister, Sharon and her husband Lee Glazier; her four children, James T. Donahue Jr., Stephen V. Donahue (wife Sharon M. Donahue), Andrew R. Donahue, and Catharine L. Thompson (husband T. Thompson). Cleo has eight grandchildren, Sarah, Rachael, Tim, Ann, Mark, Rebecca, John and Virginia, and 11 great-grandchildren, Hoyt, June, Drew, Nate, Molly, Cora, Tessa, Vivian, Otis, Alethea and Karis.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, April 2, 2019 at Saint Ann’s Catholic Church, 105 S. Snead Street, Ashland, Va. 23005.
A funeral service with internment will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 3, 2019, at Francis de Sales Catholic Church, 176 Lovers Lane, Mathews, Va. 23109.
Those wishing to honor Cleo’s memory may do so by planting a tree or flower in her honor. Mom loved her camellias and all of her flowers and trees.
A special thanks to Gini Dryden and Amedisys Hospice for their great care.