Ronald Leigh Donahue

Ronald Leigh Donahue, 92, a former New Canaanite, passed away peacefully with Hospice care on November 17, 2023 at his home in Newport Beach, CA.

Ronald was pre-deceased by his mother Cherida Conner who owned and operated The Cherida Dress Shop on Elm Street in New Canaan Connecticut.

Ronald played varsity Basketball and Baseball at New Canaan, High School. He graduated in 1950.

Ronald's grandfather William “Pop” Conner of which Conner Field in New Canaan is named, encouraged Ronald's interest and participation in sports. 

Ronald served in the Korean War as a Medic, was wounded and received the Purple Heart.

Ronald attended Central Connecticut State College, and was a Special Education teacher in Long Beach CA.

Ronald leaves a companion of over 15 years, Iris Pogue. 

He will also be dearly missed by his cousins, Sandra Conner Lefler, of New Canaan CT, Pamela Chatterton-Purdy of Harwich Port, MA and Penelope Chatterton of South Hadley MA.

Ronald's ashes will be buried and his name inscribed on the Conner family Monument at Lakeview Cemetery in New Canaan Connecticut.

Ron “Q” Donahue.......January 1, 1954

Imperial Crush......A Day I’ll Never Forget

January 1, 1954, a day I’ll never forget. It was 57 years ago this past New Years Day. The Korean War ended (7/27/54....not really, not officially) and I had a 3 day pass from our base camp just below the 38th parallel (this line separated the North from South Korea). I flew on an Army transport plane to Tokyo, Japan.

I thought it would be nice to visit the grounds of the Imperial Palace where Hirohito had lived. It had never been open to the public before. I almost fell and would have been trampled to death as many people were. But for my height and youthful strength, I was able to keep from falling. Everyone had their head burrowed into the person in front of them and kept on pushing forward once the gates opened. I had people holding onto my belt, clothes, jacket, etc. I was only one of a few American soldiers there in that mess of humanity. I must have kept many Japanese from being killed. I had at least two people on each arm, keeping them from falling underfoot.

Once I got inside, I decided I wasn’t going to stay. I slithered my way back out and the rest is as I wrote on the photo from Life magazine*. I’m glad someone still sandwiched on the bridge didn’t flip my hands off the top of the wall as I was edging my way back. I had about a foot of ledge to maneuver on and a reach of about four feet to grasp onto the one foot top of the bridge railing. Below was the moat, probably 5-10 feet deep. With today’s TV coverage, I would probably would have been seen around the world. But I doubt if I ever would have dared wave.