“Bob asked Mary Ann out for a date a few times. She said “No.” At a work holiday party at Tavern on the Green he asked Mary Ann to dance. She said “Yes.”  Having learned how to dance from his sister Alice in their family kitchen, Bob was a fabulous swing dancer.  And the rest is history. Bob and Mary Ann were married on Sept. 10, 1960 and they continued to dance, and sing, through their beautiful life together. Their four children, Coleen, Karen, Jean-Marie and Bobby, were born on Staten Island. 

“The family eventually settled in Shrewsbury, NJ in 1973 … 39 Court Drive in Shrewsbury would become known to many as more than Bob Donohue’s address — 39 Court Drive is a cherished home that has hosted many family and friends with holidays, track parties, family reunions, and Poppy Hours over many decades …

“Thrilled with life, Bob organized family vacations which most of the time included relatives, multiple families, and friends. As an Army veteran, Bob excelled at getting his children and friends up early to ride their bikes to Sunday mass, play tennis, or jump in the ocean. When the children were young, Bob coordinated trips to Loon Lake in the Adirondacks with the Brennan, Mann and Crowe families. The Loon Lake “experience” is remembered by many in the next generation as something magical …

“He was a loving father to Coleen, Karen, Jean-Marie and Bobby. He was ‘Poppy’ to his nine grandchildren and most recently earned the title of great-grandfather …

“As a devout Catholic, Bob was an exceptional family man. He spent his life caring for and loving Mary Ann (while gingerly escaping home ‘kp’ duty), ensuring that love trickled down to all his future generations and extended to the large web of Donohues, Lynches, and all of his dear friends. Bob expressed his thoughts on the value of his family to him through quotes from the movie The Bridge on the River Kwai.  

One of the only disagreements his children witnessed him have with Mary Ann was on who was a better entertainer — Judy Garland or Liza Minelli.

He loved to cook, including making mango chutney in the crockpot, which he would jar and distribute to family and friends.

“Bob also loved truthful obituaries. In the 1990’s, he read an honest obituary in the Wall Street Journal, copied it and mailed it to many, with a note on how great an honest obituary is. He probably would say this obituary is ‘too much — do you believe this guy?’ He loved to mail and fax articles and recipes to family and friends throughout his entire life. He was a gifted writer — creative in his sentences and thoughts. He had a wealth of what he called ‘useless information’ which he put to good use while watching Jeopardy at the dining room table. Later in life, he was an ace at crossword puzzles … 

“Loving a good joke, you could always count on him to deliver a good punch line — and he was quick witted. Bob excelled at taking life’s challenges and equating them to a good movie line — he was particularly known to give out advice to his children this way. Catch phrases were an integral part of his vocabulary at family gatherings, ‘My strength is like the strength of ten because my heart is pure’ …”

Loved ones of Bob Donohue in his obituary