John William Donahey (August 26, 1905 – March 2, 1967) was an American businessman, government official, and politician from Ohio.

After leaving office, Donahey worked as the Small Business Administration's regional director for Ohio.

Donahey died at Grant Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, on March 5, 1967, after he suffered a heart attack while recovering from surgery.

[4][5] As a teenager and young man, Donahey worked at a variety of temporary jobs, including an assembly line job at an Overland Automobile factory in Toledo,[6] and crew member on a lighthouse tender that provided maintenance to facilities on the coast of Central America.

[12] Poco was a venture which conducted research and experimentation to identify new industrial, food, and farming uses for surplus grain.

[10] As lieutenant governor, Donahey prioritized economy and low taxes, and set an example by returning to the state treasury part of the budget for his office at the end of each fiscal year.

[12] After leaving office, Donahey worked as the Small Business Administration's regional director for Ohio.

[10] During his post-surgery recovery, Donahey suffered a fatal heart attack, and he died on March 2.