HAMILTON COUNTY OHIO  -  Obit/Bio: Thomas Meiners Michael Donnelly: Campbell County, Kentucky and Hamilton County, Ohio
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Copyright 2000 by Sharlotte Neely Donnelly. 
This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives. 
Donnelly@one.net
August 9, 2000
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Hi,
I would like to submit the obituary of my father-in-law and Hamilton
County, Ohio native, Thomas Meiners Michael Donnelly, to the Hamilton
County Archives of the USGenWeb project for Ohio.  Thanks.
Sharlotte Donnelly

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Bio: Thomas Meiners Michael Donnelly: Campbell County, Kentucky and 
Hamilton County, Ohio

Thomas Meiners Michael Donnelly was born July 28, 1934 in Cincinnati, Hamilton County, 
Ohio and died June 25, 1997 in Fort Thomas, Campbell County, Kentucky. The following 
biography is from his obituary in the June 30, 1997 Cincinnati Enquirer.

Thomas M. Donnelly, a carpenter whose many accomplishments included restoration work
in Over-the-Rhine, died of cancer Wednesday in his home here [Fort Thomas]. He was 62. 

The Cincinnati native was raised in Green Township. He graduated from St. Xavier High 
School and attended Xavier University, playing in the school’s basketball program. 

A four-family apartment building Mr. Donnelly built on Iliff Avenue in Price Hill was a first 
home for him and his wife when they married. 

He also did extensive remodeling at The New School on Burton Woods Lane in Avondale. 
One of his granddaughters became a student there soon after the remodeling. 

He also did rehab work in Over-the-Rhine and the West End. Several orange-colored 
sand-blasted buildings throughout the communities represent his work. He also rehabbed 
buildings in downtown Covington. 

His carpentry often exhibited his love for religion, as some of his other works at Kentucky 
churches express. He built the cradle used today in the annual Christmas pageant at St.
Thomas Church in Fort Thomas.

"He was especially proud of the carpentry work he did at St. John’s Priory in Louisville," 
his son, Thomas C. Donnelly of Clifton, recalled Sunday. 

"He worked for more than a year to build an altar, communion rail, pulpit, confessional 
and various large and small decorations for the church."

Since the 1940s, his family has been involved in a non-profit project, manufacturing religious 
badges.

Following the tradition of his father and grandfather, Mr. Donnelly made the Sacred Heart 
badges on a large press in the basement of his home.

Mr. Donnelly was a Heriditary Knight and Knight Commander of Justice of the Sovereign 
Order of St. John of Jerusalem (Knights of Malta). He also was a Scoutmaster.

Also surviving are his wife of 41 years, Mary Stauber Donnelly; another son, Kevin of 
Lexington, Ky.; six daughters, Nancy Maushart, Kathy Smith, Patty Kues, Mary Jude 
Gruenschlaeger and Kelly Donnelly, all of Fort Thomas, and Molly Simmins of Dayton, 
Ky.; three sisters, Mary Minges of Westwood, Nancy Riley of Cleveland and Katie 
Donnelly-O’Fallon of Upper Saddle River, N.J.; and 23 grandchildren.

Mass of Christian burial will be noon today in St. Pius X Church, 1662 Blue Rock St. in 
Northside. Burial will be in St. Joseph Cemetery in Wilder, Ky.

Memorials can be made to Sacred Heart Press, P.O. Box 58061, Cincinnati 45258.