With heavy hearts and profound love, we announce the passing of Lynn Maureen Donnelly, who left us on June 1, 2025, at the age of 64. Lynn was a loving wife, an endlessly caring mother and grandmother, a loyal sister and aunt, and a woman of quiet but unwavering faith.
Born on November 26, 1960, to Robert and Rita Patterson, she graduated from Great Falls High School in 1979 and then attended Carroll College, where she played basketball, graduated in 1983, and met her future husband, Peter.
Lynn spent her life wholeheartedly committed to what mattered most: family and faith. She married her best friend, Peter John Donnelly, in 1983, and together they raised four children who remained the center of her world: Sarah, Siobhan Eze (former son-in-law, Peter), Tom (Lizzie), and Mackenzie Murphy (Lorcan).
Two of her daughters followed in her footsteps, marrying men from foreign countries—Lynn’s husband Peter is from Australia, Siobhan’s former husband Peter is from Nigeria, and Mackenzie’s husband Lorcan is from Ireland, while her son followed in his father’s footsteps – both marrying Great Falls girls!
Lynn chased her children across Montana—and often across the country—to cheer them on, support their dreams, and celebrate every milestone. She embraced the next chapter of motherhood as a joyful grandmother to Carter James (9), Grant Thomas (7), and Eleanor Nellie (4), whose laughter and energy brought her endless joy.
Professionally, Lynn gave 35 years of loyal service to the State of Montana through her work at Montana State Fund, as well as 19 years at the Helena Regional Airport for SkyWest Airlines.
Lynn’s Catholic faith was a quiet cornerstone of her life. Her faith shaped the way she loved, forgave, and showed up for others—always with patience, humility, and grace.
A passionate Green Bay Packers fan, Lynn relished Sunday games and the ritual of cheering alongside Sarah—especially yelling “GO PACK GO!” regardless of the score.
She is survived by her beloved husband Peter; her children; her grandchildren; and her cherished siblings: Suzanne Baumann (Brad), Steve Patterson, Michael Patterson (Brenda), Mollie Secord (Wes), and Patrick Patterson (Shannon). Also surviving are her loving in-laws: her 95-year-old mother-in-law, Nellie (Peg) Emily Donnelly; and sisters-in-law, Megan Donnelly-Coode (Bruce) and Kerry Stubbs (Richard), 25 nieces and nephews, and more than 50 great-nieces and nephews, each of them special to her in a unique way.
While we are not ready to say goodbye, we know she will be greeted in heaven by our loved ones. She was preceded in death by her parents, Robert (“Bobby”) and Rita Patterson; her father-in-law, Thomas Leslie Donnelly (Pop); and beloved family dog, Charlie.
A memorial Mass celebrating Lynn’s life will be held at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Great Falls, MT, on Wednesday, June 11, 11 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family invites donations in Lynn’s memory to an organization that serves people with special needs (Westmont of Helena, Special Olympics, etc.) or to donate blood (Lynn donated over 10 gallons throughout her life).
