Who is Mary Rose Donahue? Meet Phil Donahue's only daughter
Mary Rose Donahue is an American celebrity daughter born to the late Phil Donahue, a former talk show host, and his first wife, Margaret Cooney. Following Phil's awarding of the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Joe Biden in early 2024 and his ultimate death later that year, curiosity arose about his only daughter.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Mary Rose was born in the mid-sixties to Phil Donahue and his first wife, Margaret Cooney.
- Following her parents' divorce, Mary remained with her mother, who returned to New Mexico, where she grew up.
- Mary Rose reportedly attended culinary school in 2011.
Mary Rose Donahue's profile summary
| Full name | Mary Rose Donahue |
| Gender | Female |
| Date of birth | Around 1965 |
| Age | 60 years old (as of 2025) |
| Place of birth | Ohio, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Father | Phil Donahue |
| Mother | Margaret Cooney |
| Siblings | Michael, Kevin, Daniel, and James |
| Famous as | Phil Donahue's only daughter |
How old is Mary Rose Donahue?
Mary Rose Donahue, aged 60 as of 2025, was born around 1965. She is the only daughter of the late talk show host Phil Donahue and his first wife, Margaret Cooney. Rose grew up alongside her four brothers.
Source: Original
What happened to Phil Donahue's daughter Mary Rose?
Following her parents' divorce in 1975, Mary moved with her mother to New Mexico, where she grew up. However, she maintained close ties with her siblings and dad by celebrating holidays with them.
Mary reportedly attended a culinary school. This was revealed by her step-mom, Marlo Thomas, who had taken her to Topper's restaurant. She said,
Was in Nantucket over the weekend at the fabulous Toppers restaurant. My stepdaughter, Mary Rose, has just started culinary school so their great chef Tom Pearson gave her some tips!
Who is Phil Donahue's first wife?
Phil Donahue's first wife was Margaret Cooney. They were college sweethearts who met at the University of Notre Dame and married in 1958 shortly after graduating.
Phil and Cooney share five children. Following their separation, Margaret Cooney lived a more private life, focusing on raising their daughter and stepping away from the public eye.
Source: Getty Images
Who are Phil Donahue's children?
In addition to Mary Rose, Phil had four other children. They are:
1. Michael Phillip Donahue
Michael is Phil's first son, born in the late 1950s. He studied at New Trier East High School in Winnetka before graduating from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Philip has worked at broadcast media companies, including Katz American TV and ABC. In early 1991, Michael married Martha Reed von Gal, and they have two children: a son named Connor and a daughter named Kenzie.
2. Kevin John Donahue
Source: Facebook
Kevin Phil Donahue's second-oldest son. He enrolled at the University of Kansas in 1971.
According to his stepmother, Kevin is an avid runner who has participated in multiple marathons. She revealed this in a Facebook post, which she captioned,
He has run The New York (Marathon) in his 30s, 40s and 50s. His best time was 3:32 in Stockholm in 1996.
By 2013, Kevin was living in New York near his father and stepmother. He would tag along on most outings with his parents, as documented on Marlo's social media.
3. Daniel Timothy Donahue
Daniel Timothy is Phil's third-born son, born in the early 1961s. Despite growing up in the limelight, not much is known about him.
However, he would visit his family for holidays, including Thanksgiving. This is per a photo shared by Marlo in 2012, which she captioned,
Thanksgiving at our house. Phil, two of his sons, Kevin & Dan, me and a gorgeous brown turkey! Hope you had a Happy Turkey Day, too!" she captioned the shot.
Source: Facebook
4. James "Jim" Patrick Donahue
Phil Donahue's lastborn child, Jim, was born around 1963. He worked as an investigative researcher and writer for over 20 years and later practiced law in Honolulu, Hawaii. Jim passed away in August 2014 due to an aortic aneurysm.
Who are Marlo Thomas' children?
Marlo Thomas is the stepmother to Phil Donahue's five children from his first marriage to Margaret Cooney. Marlo married Phil Donahue in 1980 and embraced the role of stepmother.
Does Marlo Thomas have any children of her own?
Marlo Thomas does not have children of her own. She is the stepmother to Phil Donahue's five children from his previous marriage.
However, during a 2011 interview, she stated that she chose to be their friend rather than a traditional mother. She said,
From the very first day, I decided that I was not going to try to be a "mother" to Phil's children in the traditional sense — they already had a mom — but, instead, to be their friend.
Source: Getty Images
Trivia
- Marlo Thomas is very close to her step-children and often posts about them on social media.
- After Mary Rose's younger brother, Jim, passed on, his remains were cremated and spread in the "warm and tranquil" water of Honolulu.
Mary Rose Donahue, the only daughter of Phil Donahue, was born in the mid-sixties to the legendary television personality and his then-wife, Margaret Cooney. She was raised by her mom in New Mexico after her parents divorced. In 2011, it was revealed that she attended a culinary arts school.
READ ALSO: Phil Donahue's net worth
Briefly.co.za published an article about Phil Donahue, an American Media personality, writer, film producer, and show host.
Phil made history as the first talk show host whose programme format included audience participation. Explore more about his net worth and how he earned it.
Source: Briefly News
