Timothy “Tim” Donohue, 64, died peacefully at his home in Sagamore Beach on Wednesday, June 20, 2018. Tim was born on July 4, 1953 in New Bedford to the late George Donohue and Catherine (Lowney) Donohue. He attended Holy Family High School in New Bedford and graduated from Bridgewater State University.
Empowering others, young and old, in optimizing their own health and well-being was Tim’s primary impetus and passion in life. Tim was the founder and director of Yoga Kids Inc., through which he provided yoga, mindfulness and life-skills training to at-risk children for 18 years in New Bedford. His work was supported by the Marion Institute and several generous individual donors. He was intensely passionate about teaching coping skills to children and teens, with the goal that they feel empowered to make positive choices in their lives. Letters from his hundreds of appreciative students and teachers demonstrate the transformative impacts of his visits to classrooms in New Bedford Public School, Old Rochester Regional School District and Riverview School (Sandwich) classrooms. This was his life’s work. Tim also worked for many years with seniors at Bristol Elder Services, empowering them with his straightforward, fun, and enthusiastic teaching of mindfulness and yoga. Another of his most fulfilling efforts was working with at-risk youth in New Bedford, guiding them to discover their own inner resources for coping.
Tim was deeply devoted to his entire family, especially his sister Meg, who has Cerebral Palsy, and with whom he completed the March for Babies fundraising walk to support the March of Dimes forty years in a row. In his personal life, Tim practiced what he preached meditating every morning to cultivate a sense of heartfelt gratitude. His love of wellness and fitness took off early on, when he had the opportunity to lead the tiny Holy Family High School to a win in the state basketball championship at Boston Garden in 1969. Tim was captain of that team as a sophomore. After hitting two jump shots at a critical juncture at the end of the game he was nicknamed the ‘Cool Stab’ at the time by the future hall of fame broadcaster Gil Santos who was doing the play by play at the Boston Garden for the championship game. Tim was famous among his friends and family for his fun-loving attitude, delicious cooking, love of the outdoors, infectious sense of humor, and wonderful shoulder massages.
Tim is survived by two adored and adoring children, Kelsey Donohue of Philadelphia, PA, and Daniel Donohue of Los Angeles, CA. He is also survived by his beloved partner, Vicki Summers, and three cherished sisters, Meg Donohue, Sharon Donohue, and Maureen Fischer and brothers- in-law Paul Caruso and Bill Fischer. He was tragically predeceased by his brother John Donohue in 1988, who died at the age of 36. Tim’s extended family and friends will miss him tremendously as well. Tim’s positive presence in the lives he touched so deeply will be his lasting legacy.
On Wednesday, June 27th a celebration of Tim’s life will take place at the Saunders-Dwyer Home for Funerals, 495 Park St., New Bedford. Family welcomes visitors between 12pm and 4:00pm, with a memorial service honoring Tim at 2 pm. Vicki, Tim’s life partner, invites you to wear fun, colorful clothing to reflect Tim’s joy of living.
In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Tim may be made to All Hands and Hearts, a non-profit in Mattapoisett, MA (website: https://www.allhandsandhearts.org/). For directions and condolence book, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.
