LaVerne “Vern” Thomas Donahue passed from this life on the evening of Monday, Oct. 4, 2021, surrounded by the love of family at his home in Moscow. He was 84 years of age.
Vern was born during a winter snowstorm Feb. 9, 1937, in the small home his father built in rural Potlatch. Sylvia Marie Olson was his beautiful, blond teenage love; they married Dec. 18, 1954, in Moscow. He was known by young friends as “Doc” or “Red.” Vern began working night shift at the original PFI mill in Potlatch as a teen, and graduated from Potlatch High School in 1955.
In his younger years, he was known to have worked multiple jobs at once to support his young family. After 31 years, he retired from Washington State University in 1992, where he worked as a heavy equipment operator and later as supervisor of the physical plant. Among his various extra jobs at Washington State University, he had many interesting stories of transporting Butch, the live WSU cougar mascot. He was instrumental in starting the AFLCIO union at WSU, advocating and serving as president for many years. Following retirement he enjoyed more time with family as well as farming, working for Steve Smith of Smith Farms out of Tekoa, Wash. He and Sylvia also shuttled cars for Jim Jess Ford in Pullman.
The rural family home in the Potlatch/Viola area was built by his hard-working hands and with love by both he and Sylvia. He enjoyed using his John Deere tractor to care for their beautifully landscaped property, also giving grandkids and great-grandkids endless rides. Vern and Sylvia completed numerous home projects together. Vern enjoyed time in the mountains, which included camping, exploring, cutting wood and huckleberry picking high above Priest Lake. He was blessed with a photographic memory and enjoyed reading history, primarily Native American Indian heritage. Although of Irish/English descent, he proudly convinced his grandkids he was “full-blooded Indian.”
Above all, family meant everything to him. His tireless love and devotion to family was always evident. He taught his strong work ethic, handyman fix-it/build-it skills and willingness to help others to his grandchildren and daughters. With his failing health, Sylvia became his loving and extremely dedicated caregiver for the past eight years.
Vern leaves his wife, Sylvia, of almost 67 years, at their beautiful new home in Moscow; daughters Cindy (Phil) Chaney, of Viola, Debbie (Dan) Redinger, of Greenacres, Wash., and Donna (Scott) Winther, of Potlatch; six grandkids, Tom (Michele) Chaney, of Bonners Ferry, Idaho, Tim Chaney Moyie, of Springs, Idaho, Christa (John) Morehouse, of Camarillo, Calif., Nicole (Lance) Murray Dripping, of Springs, Texas, Tyrell (Meghan) Winther, of Princeton and Travis (Katie) Winther, of Potlatch; 15 great-grandkids, Gunther, Evelyn and William Chaney, Celynn and Carson Chaney, Ryan and Ryder Morehouse, Berkeley Murray, Brieanna, Kyanna, Wyatt Vern and Rory Winther, Kinsley Chapman, Maverick and Maevyn Winther as well as many caring nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in passing by twin infant sons Donald and Delbert; parents Tom and Blanche Donahue; sisters Lela Sodorff, Reta Anderson and brother Royal Donahue.
A celebration of Vern’s life will be held at 1 p.m. Oct. 23 at the Viola Community Center. If you choose, you may bring a side dish to share. At a later date, family will lay him to rest at the Potlatch Cemetery.
Memorial donations in Vern’s honor may be made to Potlatch Ambulance P.O. Box 63 Potlatch, ID 83855 or Moscow Ambulance 603 S. Main St., Moscow, ID 83843.
