Henry E. Doney, Jr.

Henry E. Doney, Jr., passed away on Sunday, May 7, 2023 in Ithaca, NY.  Born on August 9, 1935 in Punxsutawney, PA, he was the son of the late Henry E. Doney and Margaret Magner Doney.  An eagle scout as a young man, Henry attended the Rossiter, PA, public school and earned a degree in metallurgical engineering from Carnegie Mellon University in 1957.  As an undergraduate, Henry met the love of his life, Frances Mischkulnig, who was a nursing student at the University of Pittsburgh, and they were married in 1958.

Upon graduation, Henry served as a tank specialist in a special program for engineers at the U.S. Army Armor School at Ft. Knox before beginning his professional career in Pittsburgh, PA, first at Crucible Steel, and then at the Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory, run by Westinghouse.  In 1966, Henry was recruited to Cornell University to be the chief executive officer at the Laboratory of Nuclear Studies, where he managed the non-academic aspects of the construction of the Wilson Synchrotron Laboratory.  He continued in his nearly 40-year Cornell career with leadership positions in the university’s Facilities division, where he was involved in campus planning initiatives and oversaw numerous capital projects, including several with an energy focus, such as the renovation and return to service of the university’s hydro-electric plant, and the construction of the Lake Source Cooling project.  Henry rose to serve as associate vice president for facilities services before his retirement in 2003. 

In the Ithaca community, Henry was active in local government and served as a member of the board of directors for Kendal at Ithaca.  He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Ithaca.  An avid golfer and fan of Cornell Athletics, Henry greatly enjoyed watching Big Red hockey, basketball, and football.  Nothing brought him greater joy, though, than spending time with family, including many hours watching his grandsons play hockey.

Henry is survived by his loving wife of nearly 65 years, Frances (Mischkulnig) Doney; his children, Allison Doney (Michael) Riley, and Henry E. (Susan Hill) Doney, III; his grandchildren, Justin (Sarah Schug) Doney, Mitchell (Zoey Wallenbeck) Doney, and Cameron Riley; and his great-grandchild, Logan Doney.  He is also survived by his brothers, John (Sally) Doney, and David (Darlene) Doney; and many nieces and nephews.

The family greatly appreciates the skilled and compassionate care of the staff at Cayuga Medical Center and at Ithaca’s Beechtree Center for Rehabilitation & Nursing.

A celebration of Henry’s life will be held this summer.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a memorial contribution to the Cornell Athletics Annual Fund, Cornell University, Box 37334, Boone, IA  50037-0334, or to the First Presbyterian Church of Ithaca, 315 North Cayuga Street, Ithaca, NY  14850.  For either, please indicate in memory of Henry Doney.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Bangs Funeral Home, Ithaca, NY. Online condolences may be made to Henry’s family at www.bangfuneralhome.com.

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