Fellow Kansas legislators and friends remember a former state house representative as a man of faith and a devoted family man.
On Feb. 8, former Kansas Rep. Owen Donohoe, 80, died surrounded by his family, according to his obituary.
A six-term state representative, Donohoe represented the 39th district from 2007 to 2013, and 2019 to 2024. Following unspecified health issues, he retired from his seat in March 2024 and was replaced by then-Shawnee City Councilmember Angela Stiens.
Knowing him for almost 20 years, when he first ran for the Kansas House, Stiens said she was “honored” to take up his seat.
“He was deeply respected by his colleagues for his commitment, fairness, and principled leadership. When he stepped down in March 2024, I was honored to carry on his work in the House,” she said in an email to the Johnson County Post.
Donohoe was a Shawnee resident since 1989
A Nebraska native, Donohoe worked in medical sales, which took him and his family from Michigan to South Dakota and eventually, to Shawnee, where he opened up the medical device business Donohoe & Associates.
A self-described fiscal conservative and “pro-life” activist, Donohoe first ran for the Kansas House in 2006 because issues like taxes and healthcare costs became priorities for him in his work in the medical sales field as a small businessowner, according to the Shawnee Dispatch.
In his time as a state representative, Donohoe touted issues like expanded health care for those with disabilities and mental health concerns, as well as “pro-life” causes, from co-sponsoring a bill abolishing the death penalty in 2023 to being a staunch anti-abortion advocate.
Donohoe was also not one to mince words with issues he felt passionate about. In past elections, he rallied against the Kansas National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers for what he saw as almost always endorsing far-left candidates.
During a controversial Shawnee City Council vote on a non-discrimination ordinance in 2019, he argued that Christians would be unable to exercise their religious beliefs under the ordinance and thought people should start adding a C to the term “LGBTQ” so that Christians would start being thought of as a protected class.
Friends, lawmakers admired his passion
Donohoe’s faith and advocacy for causes he believed in was something former Shawnee City Councilmember Tony Gillette said he admired.
“He was a man grounded in his faith, loved his family, and believed in limited government as the Founding Fathers did, and I respected him for that,” he said in an email to the Johnson County Post.
Knowing Donohoe’s love for his family, which includes his wife, Charlene, five children, 16 grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren, Stiens said he was a devoted family man and man of faith.
“Owen lived with purpose as a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather; he poured himself into the people he loved. He had a sharp wit, a generous heart, and a steadfast commitment to faith, family, and service,” she said.
Funeral will be held on Thursday
A Rosary will be prayed at 7 p.m. on Wednesday at Amos Family Funeral Home in Shawnee. A visitation follows from 7:15 to 9 p.m.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Shawnee. He will be laid to rest at Resurrection Catholic Cemetery in Lenexa.
Memorial contributions can be made to Kansans for Life or Homes for Troops, according to his obituary.
