A memorial service for Mick Michele Donahue will be held in early 2022 after the longtime straight ally of the LGBTQ community died on Nov. 13 from COVID-19.
Donahue, 83, attended the Metropolitan Community Church in San Diego for 35 years and people recalled how she was so friendly and welcoming to everyone.
“Mick was that one person no matter where you ran into her, she always reminded you of how loved you truly are,” said MCC member Pamela Raptis.
“She would always introduce you to everyone in the crowd. She was fearless in caring for humanity,” said Raptis.
“We all called her ‘Mama Mick’ as she regarded all of us as her kids,” said MCC member Greg Ragsdale. “She was one of the first Christian LGBTQ advocates my kids met and gave them a lens through which to view their new community that was healthy and filled with love,” said Ragsdale.
“Mick was a faithful member. She loved this church. It was her family of choice,” said Senior Pastor Dan Koeshall. “Mick was a strong ally and proud PFLAG member.”
“Mick was one of a kind and always treated me as her ‘twin’,” said MCC vice moderator Al Smithson, who noted that he shared the same date of birth and year as Donahue.
She worked as an anesthesiologist technician in the Veteran’s Hospital and retired after turning 70 years old. She lived in North Park.
Donahue is the sole person from MCC to pass away from COVID-19, but she apparently was infected after residing at a nursing home in La Mesa. She was diagnosed with dementia in January at the facility and passed away there.
Several people from MCC asked to visit her in November, but she was in quarantine.
“She was certainly full of God’s love,” said Gary Gunter. “She loved signing for the deaf from her chair in the front row. I was intrigued by her smiles!”
“She had a good heart, a good soul,” said David Root. “She was tired and wanted to go home and be with the Lord.”
“I miss our lunches at Souplantation Restaurant. We had such a fun time together,” recalled Barbie Plourd.
Donahue was a practicing Catholic and also attended St. Didacus Catholic Church in Normal Heights when her schedule allowed her to do so.
She said she felt called to attend MCC as a straight ally of the LGBTQ community, starting in 1986. She officially joined MCC in March, 1996, according to Lee Bowman, minister of information for MCC.
She joined MCC when Rev. Dusty Pruitt was interim pastor after Pastor Tony Freeman accepted another job within the MCC organization.
“The LGBTQ community was her only family,” said Pruitt, who visited with her twice shortly before her death.
Mick was born on Sept. 19, 1938, after her birth mother gave her up for adoption at a St. Louis, MO hospital. Mick never got to meet her birth mother or father or discover their names.
She grew up in an orphanage and was adopted by an older couple in the Kansas/Missouri area. The couple died approximately 35-40 years ago, and they did not have any siblings, so Mick did not have any nieces or nephews.
She attended medical school to begin a career as an anesthesiologist technician and enjoyed talking about her 1960s college life. Her eyes sometimes dazzled when she was pleased.She also loved cats. Felix, her 12-year-old black cat, died in 2020. She buried him in her garden.
In 2004, Donahue won the annual Lovedy Gilbert Compassionate Heart Award at MCC that is presented each year to a woman who has demonstrated outstanding love, service and commitment to the church and the LGBT community. Mick’s good deeds continued for years as she gave rides to people to church and to lunch afterwards.
No exact date has been set for her memorial service other than it will be likely be held on a Sunday afternoon after church services in January or February, 2022.
She is missed!
