Obituary of Edward M. O'Donnell Jr.

Edward M. O’Donnell Jr., a businessman, golfer, collector, and lifelong resident of Syracuse, New York, died unexpectedly April 2, 2025, surrounded by family. The cause of death was complications of congestive heart failure. He was 89.

Throughout his life, Mr. O’Donnell displayed eclectic appetites in his professional pursuits and leisure activities. After graduating from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., in 1959, he took a job as a stockbroker in Syracuse, despite his new degrees in English and philosophy. But that underpinning of a liberal arts education would serve him well in all aspects of his life, including inspiring his children to follow him to Georgetown. He earned a reputation as an engaging conversationalist, fueled by a genuine interest in people and his well-rounded education.

In later years, Mr. O’Donnell was an adoring and avuncular mentor to grandchildren, nieces and nephews, encouraging them in their educations and taking special interest in their fields of study. He loved learning and set a lifelong example of pursuing it, even founding Johnson and O’Donnell Rare Rooks to supplement his ever present curiosity.

Despite his intentions to eventually enter the business world, the English major in him emerged in an intrepid way in the late 1950s, while still at Georgetown. Chancing upon news of the incarceration of controversial literary icon Ezra Pound at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Washington, Mr. O’Donnell wrote a quixotic letter asking Pound for an audience. To his delight and likely surprise, Pound said yes. And so began an unlikely relationship between the starry-eyed Georgetown student and the old poet, which included face-to-face visits and a succession of mail exchanges.

Throughout the twists and turns of his life, his love for the game of golf was an abiding passion, whether following the careers of local players, perusing golf periodicals, watching every swing of a televised tournament, or playing himself at his beloved Bellevue Country Club in Syracuse. Besides being an accomplished player (he competed with the storied Syracuse Golf Bandits), Mr. O’Donnell served on the board of Bellevue and the board of the Syracuse District Golf Association, where he also ran the junior program and was honored as Golfer of the Year in 1984. In his later years, he became a member of the New York Senior Golf Association.

It was in that latter association that his role as informal ambassador of the game emerged, his white hair, crisp blue blazer, boyish grin, and gentlemanly manner providing apt accouterments for the part. Often upon meeting someone new, he would ask where that person hailed from. When the response came (whether rural Ohio, western Montana or northern England), he would declare with knowing insight and a glint in his eye, “They have some good golf courses there!” No one ever doubted his declarations.

Edward Malachi O’Donnell Jr. was born in Syracuse, New York, on Dec. 24, 1935, to Edward Malachi O’Donnell and Florence Feeney O’Donnell, their only son. He attended Most Holy Rosary School and Christian Brothers Academy in Syracuse before attending and graduating in 1955 from The Lawrenceville (N.J.) School. He went on to earn degrees in English and philosophy in 1959 from Georgetown University, where he also served as captain of the golf team. In 1962, he married Catherine Phillips, the love of his life, and they set about building a life and family together in Syracuse, also her hometown.

After service in the U.S. Army Reserves, he worked in Syracuse as a stockbroker for Foster and Adams until the late 1960s when he served as president of Great Northern Warehouses and then president of the E.M.O’Donnell Co. He remained an avid personal investor throughout his life.

While not working, Mr. O’Donnell was a voracious reader, especially of the classics, and he loved spending time with his wife, which included golfing together at Bellevue and around the region. The couple shared a love of the caricature drawings of Al Hirschfeld and worked together to build a collection of his work, more passion project than financial pursuit. They enjoyed throwing dinner parties with the Hirschfelds as adornments and conversation starters, ala Sardi’s in New York City.

Mr. O’Donnell is survived by wife Catherine; sons Edward III of Alaska and Patrick (Kelli) of Rochester, New York; grandchildren Rory, Sarah, and Hugh O’Donnell; Meaghan Malone (Evan), Alicia Borland (Drew), Carrie Leon and Andrew Leon (Daisy). He is also survived by nieces and nephews, who he deeply cherished.

Preceding him in death was his beloved daughter, Maureen, in 2010, and sisters Mary Montague, Anne Clark, Betty Pfohl, and Jeanne Quigley.

Calling hours for Mr. O’Donnell will be held from 3 to 6 p.m., Monday, April 7, at Tindall Funeral Home, 1921 W. Genesee St., Syracuse. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Tuesday, April 8, at the Church of the Most Holy Rosary, 111 Roberts Ave., Syracuse. Burial will follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Dewitt, New York.