Margaret Donato, CB8 member and Kingsbridge BID co-founder, was 74

Margaret Donato, a former chair of the Community Board 8 Public Safety Committee who lived in Kingsbridge, passed away in hospice on Jan. 11, 2024, at Calvary Hospital following a two-year battle with pancreatic cancer. She was 74.

Born Dec. 17, 1949, to Mary Margaret Hamilton and James Francis Sharkey in Washington Heights, she attended St. Elizabeth (elementary) School, and William Howard Taft High School. She worked her way up from life insurance agent to vice president of North Fork Bank until she retired.

A community activist, Margaret served on Community Board 8 and was a founder of the Kingsbridge Business Improvement District. She belonged to many other organizations. At the time of her death, Margaret was a resident representative on the Kingsbridge business improvement district.

“Margaret was a dear friend and fierce advocate for her Kingsbridge neighborhood,” said former CB8 chair Laura Spalter. “She formerly chaired the public safety committee and served the board in so many ways. She will be sorely missed.”

Katherine Broihier, executive director of Kingsbridge BID, also called Donato a dear friend and colleague.

“I’ve known her for 21 years,” Broihier said. “She was one of the original founders of BID. She was on the board up until the last couple of months.”

Broihier recalled how Donato was there to help out in the beginning of the BID.

“We were struggling in the first four or five years,” she said. “Margaret was always there. She was always a nice person.”

She is survived by her son, Christian Donato, 49, daughter-in-law Jennifer Donato, 48, her loving grandchildren which were her pride, her joy, her everything: Emma Rose Donato, 19, Logan Alexander Donato, 17, and Keira Nicole Donato, 15, along with her sister, Patsy (Patricia) Goodwin, 86, and many nieces and nephews.

“Margaret was all about family, friends and neighbors,” Jennifer said. “She definitely made her mark on her family, her friends and her community and will be missed dearly by all three.”

A memorial service from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024, at the Williams Funeral Home, 5628 Broadway, 10463.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.