Retired Colonel Devotes Post-Military Life To Fisher House Families

Ballwin, MO — From their time in uniform to their everyday contributions in our neighborhoods, veterans embody service in many forms. Patch and T-Mobile have teamed up to share stories of veterans making a difference in the places we call home.

This story was submitted by Laura Neuman-Howe, who nominated retired Air Force Col. James B. Donahoe of Ballwin.

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Tell us about the veteran's service.

Service has been an important part of retired Colonel James B. Donahoe’s life for 60-plus years. After he served 31 years in the U.S. Air Force, he went on to work 15 years for the Veterans Affairs, Veterans Canteen Services. Then he retired and really went to “work” as founding president of the Friends of Fisher House St. Louis.

How do you know the veteran?

I work with him through the Fisher House in St. Louis, a program that provides a free "home away from home" for veterans' families when the veteran is receiving health care far from home.

What makes the veteran someone your community should know about?

In 2007, Donahoe was a founding member and first board president of the Friends of Fisher House in St. Louis, the non-profit organization that helped raise funds to build, then continued to support, the Veterans Affairs St. Louis Medical Center’s Fisher House at Jefferson Barracks. Jim has been dedicated to supporting the House and families of veterans, in a 100% voluntary, unpaid role since then. He has given an estimated 10-to-25 hours to help the House every week, and has during most of the past 17-plus years. He has been in and out of the role of board president several times in those years, but recently stepped down from that point position again. He will remain on the board. In the 15 years that the Fisher House in St. Louis has been operating, it has served more than 14,000 people and saved them an estimated $12 million. This savings translates into enabling family members to be at the bedside of their loved ones while their veteran is dealing with medical challenges. Jim has served fully with the Fisher House motto, "because a family's love is good medicine."

What three words best describe the veteran?

Compassionate. Inspiring. Effective.

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