Sandra Jane (Coate) Donohue

SANDRA J. DONOHUE
August 9, 1948 - February 8, 2026

Sandra Jane (Coate) Donohue, 77, of Sierra Vista, Arizona, passed away peacefully February 8 at Peppi’s House hospice facility in Tucson following complications from surgery. 

Sandra (“Sandy”) was born in Moline, Illinois, on August 9, 1948, the second of five children of William and Donna Coate.

Sandy traveled the world as a child in a military family and, later, as a member of the military. She graduated from Tustin High School in 1966.

She married William S. Purvis in 1968 and had one child. They divorced in 1970. In 1973 she earned an Associate degree from Saddleback College and furthered her education at California State University Fullerton.

In 1974 Sandy joined the Army, during which time she met and married Michael F. Donohue of Worcester, Massachusetts. They had two sons. She served nine years attaining the rank of E-6. She was stationed at the Presidio of Monterey (1975-76); Fort Ord (1976-79); Schweinfurt, Germany (1979-82); and Fort Irwin (1982-83). She worked an additional thirty-five years in civil service as a Finance Specialist and Budget Analyst with assignments at Fort Irwin (1983-85); Heidelberg, Germany (1985-2013); Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (2015-16); and Fort Huachuca (2013-15 and 2016-18). She received a host of commendations during her career, including Good Conduct Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Army Commendation Medal w/OLC, and Rifle M16 (Marksman).

Sandy enjoyed genealogy, sewing, and traveling, and made friends wherever she lived. She was proud of having sailed both the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean as a child. During retirement she enjoyed volunteering at the Fort Huachuca thrift shop and was active in the Women’s Army Corps Veterans Association.

Sandy was preceded in death by her parents, first husband William and second husband Michael, sister Donna M. Pettengill (Stan) of Lake Havasu City, Arizona, and brother Robert M. Coate of Alamogordo, New Mexico. She is survived by two sisters (Linda J. Lemke [Frog] of Buckeye, Arizona and Cheryl A. Emery [John] of Cedar Hill, Texas), her three children-Michael S. Coate of Rancho Santa Margarita, California; Brian M. Donohue (Jacqueline) of Homewood, Illinois; and Christopher R. Donohue of Alamogordo, New Mexico-and four grandchildren (Kacie, 16; Cora, 12; Josephine, 10; Theodore, 5).

Cremation has taken place under the direction of Hatfield Funeral Home. 

A memorial service for Sandra Donohue will be held at 9:00am on June 8 at Southern Arizona Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery in Sierra Vista.

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