Obituaries

Obituaries

Father Donnelly Served 47 Years in East Elmhurst

Father Eugene Donnelly

A Mass of Christian Burial for Father Eugene G. F. Donnelly, who spent 59 years as a parish priest in Queens, was celebrated Feb. 15 at Our Lady of Fatima Church, East Elmhurst. He died Feb. 12 in the parish rectory at the age of 91.
Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio was the main celebrant. Special concelebrants included Msgr. Michael J. Brennan and John E. Mahoney, and Father John Gildea. Father Casper J. Furnari preached the homily.
Born in Astoria, Father Donnelly attended Cathedral College, Brooklyn; and Immaculate Conception Seminary, Huntington, L.I. He was ordained May 22, 1948 by Bishop Thomas E. Molloy at St. James Pro-Cathedral, Downtown Brooklyn.
He served as an assistant at St. Luke’s, Whitestone, 1948-65, and Our Lady of Fatima, East Elmhurst, 1965-2007.  He retired in 2007 but remained in residence at Our Lady of Fatima.
“When I think of Father Donnely I think of someone who is humble, simple, prayerful, and very loyal to the Church,” said Father Furnari. “There are many things that would come to mind. He loved the Church and he loved the Blessed Mother. He loved helping people and he was able to serve generations of people in his 47 years at Our Lady of Fatima.  He knew the youth, he knew the parents, he knew the grandparents. He really is a legend there.
“He served the youth of the parish in a great way. He was loved by them and he did a lot for them over the years. He would take young people for trips. They would go to the mountains; they would go boating, camping.
“He would love to plan trips, but he also brought them to say the rosary and to come to church. Many of them came to church and still do because of his influence.
“He would hear confessions for many hours, even in the last few weeks. He would come in the wheelchair. His aide would wheel him into the confessional in church and he would hear confessions.
“He was a wonderful model and example of the priesthood.
“I lived in the parish. He came to the parish when I was still in the seminary. He was a great example and inspiration to me as a dedicated priest. I admired his humility,” he said.
Father Furnari noted that “St. John Vianney is honored as the patron of parish priests. The people of Our Lady of Fatima parish have had their own Father Vianney in the person of Father Eugene Donnelly.”
Burial was in Mount St. Mary’s Cemetery, Flushing.

Walter Marcus Bluhm

Brother Walter Marcus Bluhm, S.C., a Brother of the Sacred Heart for 72 years, died Feb. 3, at Maria Regina Residence, Brentwood, L.I., where he was a resident since 2005.
Formerly known as Brother Harold, he was born in Williamsport, Pa. He pronounced his perpetual vows in 1946 in Huntington, L.I., and earned a doctorate in educational psychology from Fordham University.
In the Brooklyn Diocese, he served at Msgr. McClancy Memorial H.S., East Elmhurst, for 41 years on two different occasions as teacher, guidance counselor and assistant principal.
He is survived by his sister, Mildred Litzerman of Harrisburg, Pa.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Feb. 8 at Our Lady of Fatima Church, East Elmhurst, with interment in the Brothers’ Cemetery in Metuchen, N.J.

Father Vincent E. Butler, S.J., 80, a native of Queens,  died Feb. 8, at the Jesuit infirmary, Murray-Weigel Hall, Bronx. He was a Jesuit for 61 years.
After attending Xavier H.S., Manhattan, and Fordham University,   he entered the Society of Jesus at St. Andrew-on-Hudson in Poughkeepsie.
He was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Pernicone in the  Fordham University Chapel on June 20, 1963. He completed  the final year of Jesuit formation, tertianship, in Dublin, Ireland, 1964-65.
For  11  years, he directed at St. Ignatius Retreat House, Manhasset, and at the Shrine of the North American Martyrs, Auriesville, N.Y.
He also taught at Xavier H.S., 1989-2001.   In 2001  he was assigned to  Loyola Hall at  Fordham University where  he assisted in the Jesuit community.
He is survived by his sister,  Sister Edna Butler, D.W. of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Convent, Sound Beach, L.I.
Burial was at the Jesuit cemetery, Auriesville.

Olivia Clifford

Sister Olivia Clifford, R.S.M., formerly Sister Mary Olivia, a Sister of Mercy of the Americas Mid-Atlantic Community, for 76 years, died Feb. 2. She was 94.
She was raised in St. Jerome’s parish, Flatbush, where she attended elementary school and graduated from Mercy Juniorate H.S. She entered the Novitiate in Syosset on Feb. 2, 1936 and professed her final vows in 1941.
She was a graduate of Manhattan College and earned her master’s of social work from Fordham University.
She taught at St. Agatha, Sunset Park, 1938-40; St. Gerard Majella, Hollis, 1940-41; St. Gregory the Great, Crown Heights, 1941-44; Sacred Heart, Adelphi St., 1946-48; and Holy Innocents, Flatbush, 1950-58.
Her ministry in social work began at Angel Guardian Home, Brooklyn, and continued in St. Mary’s Home, Syosset; Visitation Residence, Red Hook; and Mulrooney Manor, East Flatbush.
After retiring from formal ministry, Sister Olivia and her friend, the late Sister Dorothy Flaum, R.S.M., championed the cause of the poor in Red Hook. In 2003, she retired to the Convent of Mercy. When the convent closed, she moved to Holy Trinity Convent, Hicksville.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at Holy Family Church, Hicksville, Feb. 5. Internment followed at St. Charles Cemetery, Long Island.

7 thoughts on “Obituaries

  1. Fr. Donnelly was the epitome of what a priest was and should always be. Someone young people could trust, could be with and love. Fr. D, as we called him, was a true son of God because he so loved the church, and LOVED his job and shared his love for these by sharing them with all who had the pleasure of knowing him. We lived in the OLD parish since 1958 and Fr. D became a part of our family, just like he did with so many other families in the parish. His name was a household name. I am glad we had the great pleasure of knowing him as a man, a priest and a friend and know he now sits at the Right Hand of God.

    1. I knew Fr. Donnelly in St. Luke’s in Whitestone. He was loved and admired by everyone. He was a truly gentle man. Soft-spoken, kind, and respected by all. Rest in peace!

  2. Fr. Donnelly was an amazing priest. I was one of those kids he hauled around on trips to Bear Mountain or ice skating about 40 years ago. He was always kind, soft spoken and had a wonderful way with kids. I live in another state now and about 7 years ago when I was back for a visit and he was saying Mass I went to see him after Mass and told him what a great priest he was and how much we kids loved him back then. In his usual way he was very shy about receiving the thanks, but so glad I did it. Glad he now can enjoy the great reward of heaven he worked toward all those years. God Bless his soul.

  3. My dear Father Donnelly or Father “D” was my second father. Being in his presence was the closest to being with Jesus here on earth; that’s how holy he was. I went on trips with him to Bear Mt, museums, west point,the growler sub and Mother Cabrini’s chapel. He took us canoeing, iceskating, horseback riding, sledding, rye playland and pool (and that’s just to name a few destinations!). He spent his time, energy and money on the kids of Our Lady of Fatima. When he asked us to serve as altar boys or lectors, we immediately said “yes”. He was the kindest, most generous, selfless man I have ever known. Seeing his station wagon parked outside the church the day of his funeral, brought back so many memories. He was humble and a true example of what a priest should be. He touched so many lives. Parishoners would touch him in the shoulder and gently whisper “God Bless you” when returning from communion during Sunday noon mass. The last few years of his life, his body was bound by a wheelchair but he was always “free” inside and at peace. He tried to teach us all to pray everyday, to have faith and to strive to be a modern saint. He most surely was. I miss him already.

  4. Was Fr Eugene Donnelly the nephew Fr Eugene Donnelly the founder of St Michaels church in Flushing, who is all so buried in Mount St Mary, Flushing, NY

  5. I remember Sister Olivia, she will always be in my prays and my heart. I am so bless to have been raised by her and the other great ladies from the SIsters. I am thankful for all the memories and great times.