Still Rambling at 101

JOHN LAWRENCE “LARRY” DONOGHUE ’37 HAS ALWAYS LIVED LIFE TO THE FULLEST—–even during his Loyola days. Despite the long train commute to Dumbach Hall from his home on the city’s South Side, he was an honor student who ran track; played baseball, basketball and football; and participated in a dizzying array of extracurricular activities, including the Camera Club, the Dance Committee, the Debate Team, Dramatics, the Missions Collections Club, the Torch Club and even the cheerleading squad.

Larry Donoghue in 1937

His post-Loyola years were equally impressive. He earned two engineering degrees; inspected B-26 twin-engine bombers as a stress analyst for Martin Aircraft during WWII; and served as a naval lieutenant, junior grade, as well as an engineering officer in a fighter squadron aboard the aircraft carrier USS Intrepid in WWII. While he raised five children with his wife, Connie, he worked on the original planning for the development of O’Hare Airport and launched a successful engineering firm, which he led for 55 years until his retirement in 2015 at the age of 96.

Today, this Rambler centenarian is still living large at the age of 101.

A Centenarian Celebration: John Lawrence “Larry” Donoghue ’37 (center), known as “Laurie” to his friends, celebrated his 100th birthday in February 2019 with family and friends, including (standing, l-r): sons Lawrence M. Donoghue Jr. ’67, Gerald T. Donoghue ’69 and Kevin F. Donoghue ’72 and nephews Dr. Edmund R. Donoghue ’62 and Thomas J. Donoghue ’68