Mary Louise Coughlin Dubay
A funeral Mass was held at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus on Jan. 13 for Mary Louise (M.L.) Coughlin Dubay, with Father David Boettner serving as the Mass celebrant.
Mrs. Dubay was born in Knoxville to Dr. Dennis and Margaret Ruth (Cathcart) Coughlin. She was a 1982 graduate of Knoxville Catholic High School and 1987 honors graduate of the University of Tennessee, where she was a Lady Volunteer on the UT tennis team and a member of Alpha Omicron Pi Sorority.
For the past 30 years, Mrs. Dubay was a resident of Plano, Texas, and was active in her community and church, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church. After a 22-year courageous battle with brain cancer, Mrs. Dubay passed away peacefully in her home with her loving husband by her side.
In July 2000, Mrs. Dubay was initially diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. After successful surgery to remove the tumor, she underwent seven weeks of radiation and two years of chemotherapy. After the treatment, she was able to resume her career as vice president of marketing for Nortel Networks in Richardson, Texas. She was cancer free for 20 years.
In 2010, she left Nortel to create her own business, “Toffee Treats.” Over the years, she built it into a successful company, offering toffee and various candies and confections to numerous major accounts.
In 2020, she suffered a relapse of her brain tumor and braved two additional brain surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiation. In late 2022, the tumor began to overtake her medical team’s ability to fight it, and on Jan. 4 she transitioned into new life.
Through the years, Mrs. Dubay was a vocal supporter of brain tumor survival support organizations and was a founding member of the Legacy Brain Foundation and the Baylor Richardson Brain Cancer Treatment Center. She was a featured guest speaker of the American Brain Tumor Association at its annual meeting in Chicago.
She was a published author, co-writing 100 Questions & Answers About Brain Tumors, offering a clinical and patient’s perspective on living with a brain tumor. One of her goals was to help others realize the importance of a positive attitude and how it can provide strength, courage, and hope to those who are fighting the battle of brain cancer.
Throughout her entire life, Mrs. Dubay was known for her positive attitude and always living life to the fullest. She could light up a room with her confidence, poise, and elegance, and she had a one-of-a-kind sense of humor that will never be forgotten.
She is survived by her loving husband of 29 years, Duane Dubay of Plano, Texas. She also is survived by her mother, Ruth Coughlin, brothers Dennis Coughlin III and wife Cindy, Mark Coughlin, Steven Coughlin, sister Annemarie and husband Michael Gray, and numerous nieces, nephews, and friends. She was preceded in death by her father Dr. Dennis Coughlin Jr.
Interment for Mrs. Dubay was in Highland Memorial Cemetery in Knoxville.
Donations in Mrs. Dubay’s memory can be made to the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, 711 S. Northshore Drive, Knoxville, TN 37919, or to Legacy Brain Foundation, 7777 Forest Lane, Suite B238, Dallas, TX 75230.
Rachel Donahoo-Wiggins
Rachel Lucille Donahoo-Wiggins, age 48, of Florence, S.C., formerly of Knoxville, passed away suddenly on Dec. 25.
A funeral Mass for Mrs. Donahoo-Wiggins was held on Jan. 16 at All Saints Church in Knoxville, with Father Michael Woods serving as celebrant and Father Doug Owens serving as concelebrant.
Born Aug. 28, 1974, in Nashville, Mrs. Donahoo-Wiggins was a longtime resident of Knoxville before moving to Florence two years ago. She was a member of All Saints Church and was passionate about her Catholic faith.
Mrs. Donahoo-Wiggins was a 1992 graduate of Knoxville Catholic High School, achieving membership in The National Honor Society and participating on the Irish softball and volleyball teams.
She attended the University of Tennessee, where she focused on theater and drama studies and performance. She loved the performing arts, live theater, movies, working with theater youth groups at the Bijou Theatre in Knoxville, and serving as longtime director of “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.”
Mrs. Donahoo-Wiggins also enjoyed picnics at mountain streams, spending time with family and friends, and her pets. She was kind, gentle-hearted, caring, and quick to help people in need, as she did with her organ donations that she hoped would give the gift of life to others, particularly children.
Mrs. Donahoo-Wiggins was a dedicated daughter, sister, wife, and friend, and will be greatly missed. As Gene Wilder said in “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” she was a “music maker, a dreamer of dreams.”
Mrs. Donahoo-Wiggins is preceded in death by her grandparents, Bayard Donahoo and Lucille Curran Donahoo, and Thomas Anvil Blalack and Laura Baker Blalack.
She is survived by her husband of 13 years, James Robert (Jim) Wiggins; parents, Duane Donahoo and Debbie Blalack Donahoo; siblings, Jean-Marie Kelly and husband Randy of Maryland, Adam Donahoo of Knoxville, Shane Donahoo and wife Julie of Florida, Travis Donahoo of Illinois; niece, Marigold Donahoo; uncles, Bayard Donahoo, Gary Blalack and wife Kathy, Alan Blalack and wife Robin; aunt, Janet Blalack Callicott and husband Bill; sister-in-law Mary Keith Wiggins; cousins Jennifer, Jeff, Justin, Bay, Bree, Clay, Dillon, Drew, Hannah, Jonathan, and Mary Grace.
A private inurnment was at Sacred Heart Cathedral Columbarium.
Memorials for Mrs. Donahoo-Wiggins can be made to Imagination Series for Children or to the Summer Student Workshop Series at the Bijou Theatre, www.knoxbijou.org, or to the Darlington County Humane Society, www.darlingtonhumane.org.
