Obituary of James M. O'Donoghue

James M. O’Donoghue, age 69, died at home in South Salem on March 29th after a long illness.  He was born in New York City to James J. and Rita (nee Hobbins) O’Donoghue.  He grew up in Stuyvesant Town on the lower east side of Manhattan.  Jim lived for many years in Pound Ridge, NY. 

Jim was a Member and floor broker on the NY Mercantile Exchange.  After retiring from commodity trading, he took up the arts, performing in over 30 independent films and numerous local, regional and off-off Broadway productions. He wrote award winning short stories and screen plays as well as a novel, Tales of the Lower East Side. Northern Westchester was his inspiration for photography, and notably “Rendezvous: Any Time, Any Place”, a composed picture shot at Sunnybrook Farms, was selected for exhibition at the Musee du Luxembourg in Paris. Jim was a student of Shihan Mitsugu Sakai and held the rank of black belt in World Oyama Karate.

Jim was predeceased by his parents and his son James.  He is survived by his wife Laurie and children Denis and Elizabeth, and brothers Kevin (Susan) and Raymond (Amy), cousin Geraldine (George Robert) and in-laws Christopher and Gerene Staratt and Peter Starratt, as well as 10 nieces and nephews.

Jim had an intense, wide ranging curiosity and so became deeply knowledgeable on an eclectic medley of topics; his dedication to music was equally profound and all-encompassing. He was a committed reader of literature and even in illness always had a book in hand. He was also a world class raconteur and a legendary prankster. But his most enduring virtue was his gift for friendship. He was constitutionally blind to social distinctions and befriended nearly everyone who crossed his path. He will be missed.

The family will receive friends at Clark Associates Funeral Home, 4 Woods Bridge Road, Katonah, NY on Tuesday, April 2, 2-4 and 7-9pm. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, April 3 at 10:00am at Saint Patrick’s Church, Bedford.  Interment will follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Hawthorne, NY.