William M. Donohoe, 96

MEREDITH — William "Bill" M. Donohoe of Meredith, age 96, passed away in May 2026 at Golden View Health Care Center, and his soul went to be with Lord Jesus.

Bill was born Dec. 13, 1929, in Tacoma Park, Maryland, but lived in Washington, D.C. His parents, Thomas and Jean Fotheringham Donohoe, moved from Washington, D.C., to Orlando, Florida, in 1945.

Family survivors are his wife and best friend, Nancy, married June 8, 1957; their son Mark and his wife Tami of Meredith; their daughter Vicki Donohoe of Danbury, Connecticut; and daughter Dana and her husband Gerry Pesavento of Davis, California; Mark and Tami’s children, Sean, Kendall and Liam; Vicki’s boys, Garrett, Brett and Shane Dalton; and Dana and Gerry’s girls, Risa and Sara; and sisters Doris Bee and Jean Fleming of Orlando, Florida.

In 1948 Bill graduated from Castle Heights Military Academy, Lebanon, Tennessee. He worked for the Orlando Cadillac dealer from 1948 until 1950, as a co-op student with General Motors Institute (GMI), Flint, Michigan. In 1950, Bill joined the Pontiac Motor Division of GM. In 1954, he earned a bachelor of business administration degree from General Motors Institute (now Kettering University).

Bill was on a military leave of absence from GM from 1954 to 1958. After graduating from U.S. Naval OCS in Newport, Rhode Island, he became an officer in 1955. Bill earned his Navy wings in Pensacola, and flew fighter jets. He graduated from the Naval School of Justice and served as squadron legal officer, in addition to his flying duties.

Bill returned to Pontiac in 1958. While working, he earned his master's in business administration from the University of Detroit. Bill had many field sales positions working with Pontiac dealers. He also served as Pontiac’s National Dealer Business Management Manager and later as national director of car distribution. In 1978, he transferred to Cadillac in Detroit, where he served as national director of car distribution, and then regional sales manager for the Midwest. Bill left GM in mid-1984 to join the Toyota distributor for five southeastern states. Bill served as a vice president and retired in 1994.

He and Nancy moved to Meredith, in 1995. He served as a deacon and treasurer for Grace Presbyterian Church in Laconia. Bill ran live financial seminars for Crown Financial Ministries. He also volunteered as a Crown budget coach to help people get out of debt. For 14 years, he taught a finance and economics class at Laconia Christian Academy. Bill lived a long and dedicated Christian life and will be greatly missed by his family, church and friends.

Arrangements are under the care of Mayhew Funeral Homes and Crematorium. To sign the online book of memories, visit mayhewfuneralhomes.com.