Evening star., 1949-09-25
Funeral Tomorrow
For Thomas0' 'DonneI
Restaurant Owner

NVSIOOIO VIII VVuVI
Funeral services will be held
tomorrow for Thomas A. O'Don-
nell, SO. restaurant owner and
friend of Washington's underpriv-
ileged children, who died early
yesterday in George Washington
Hospital after brief illness.
Funeral services are to be held
at 10 am. at the Hines Funeral
Home at 2901 Fourteenth street
NV, and burial will be in Cedar
Hill Cemetery.
Mr.. O'Donnell had been active
in operating the two restaurants
he founded here until a short time
before his death. He entered the
hospital for treatment of liver
ailment. his family said.
He was native of Washington
and started work at an early age
to help support his family after the
death Of his father. Thirty years
ago he opened small sea food
place at 1907 E street NV.
Nine years ago he expanded the
business to include a second res
taurant at 1921 E street. At the
time OF his death the two restau-
rants had a national as we'll as
local reputation, and a combined
seating capacity for 500 guests.
Set Up Trust for Wife.
Mr.. O'Donnell had lived in re-
cent years in an apartment at
1701 Massachusetts, avenue NV.
He had established a trusteeship
for his wife, from whom he had
been separated, under which she
and their three daughters shared
all profits from the first restau-
rant. Mr.. O'Donnell and Attor-
ney Charles E. Ford served as
trustees.
Mr.. O'Donnell began his busi-
ness career here as the operator
of three small motion picture
houses in Southeast Washington
in the days of f1ve-cent admissions
and piano accompaniments for
the silent films. He later acquired
an automobile battery sales agency
at the E street address and oper-
ated that for a time before estab-
fishing a restaurant there.
One of his chief interests out
side his business was welfare work
among young people carried on
by Washington Lodge No. Is of
the Elks. He had been a member
for 20 years, and was q trustee.
In 1910 he was elected to honor
airy life membership for his serv-
ices to the club.
Mr.. O'Donnell for years was
the chief organizer of the parties
which the club gave for orphans
at Glen Echo. He also was
director of the Elks Boys Band.
arranging programs, and helping
to buy uniforms and musical in
struments.
Each summer he entertained
members of the band at an out
ing on one of his farms on the
Patuxent River. He owned an
other large farm at Forestville,
Md. where he raised prize cattle,
poultry and produce.
Organized Girls Softball.
The restaurant owner organized
and helped outfit softball team
for girls and financed baseball and
basket ball teams among the en-
ployes Of his restaurant. -
His early experience with the
aters qualified him as q member
of the Variety Club. many of
whose dinners he arranged.
Mr.. O'Donnel'sT father was
Thomas O'Donnell. a Washington
builder who died when his son
was about IL. He Is survived by|
his wife, Mrs. Mildred ODonnell,
and three daughters. Mrs. Dorothy
Freund of Pelham, N. Y; Mrs.
Janice Edelblut of Chevy Chase
Md, and Mrs. Eileen Wolchick of
Alexandria. and his mother, Mrs.
Emma Major of Marlboro, Md.
Mr.. ODonnell got into the res
taurant business because he ap-
preciated good food and was es-
pecially fond of the seafood variety
taken from the Potomac and
Chesapeake Bay. He was an en-
thusiastic fisherman and main
tanned place at Melbourne
Beach on the East Coast of Flor
ida as base for his fishing trips.
In later years he spent much
time on his farms here. On the
old Grifiths farm at Forestville
he set up small restaurant for
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