Catherine Wolfe Donohue (daughter of Maurice and Bridget O’Connor Wolfe) was born 4 Feb 1903 in LaSalle County, Illinois and died 27 Jul 1938 in Ottawa, LaSalle County, Illinois. She was the wife of Thomas Donohue and mother of two children, Thomas and Mary Jane Donohue.
Catherine worked for the Radium Dial Company in the 1930’s where she painted dials by hand with radium based paint. In order to keep their brushes pointed for the meticulous work, they were encouraged by management to “lip, dip, paint.” Catherine contracted radium poisoning from this practice and through a class action lawsuit brought against the company for their treatment and suffering, was awarded damages in 1938. Unfortunately, most of these women died before collecting any of the money.
Catherine died at age 35, surrounded by family, in Ottawa, IL. She won the war against worker injustice, but lost her life doing so.
Catherine worked for the Radium Dial Company in the 1930’s where she painted dials by hand with radium based paint. In order to keep their brushes pointed for the meticulous work, they were encouraged by management to “lip, dip, paint.” Catherine contracted radium poisoning from this practice and through a class action lawsuit brought against the company for their treatment and suffering, was awarded damages in 1938. Unfortunately, most of these women died before collecting any of the money.
Catherine died at age 35, surrounded by family, in Ottawa, IL. She won the war against worker injustice, but lost her life doing so.
Catherine Wolfe Donohue (daughter of Maurice and Bridget O’Connor Wolfe) was born 4 Feb 1903 in LaSalle County, Illinois and died 27 Jul 1938 in Ottawa, LaSalle County, Illinois. She was the wife of Thomas Donohue and mother of two children, Thomas and Mary Jane Donohue.
Catherine worked for the Radium Dial Company in the 1930’s where she painted dials by hand with radium based paint. In order to keep their brushes pointed for the meticulous work, they were encouraged by management to “lip, dip, paint.” Catherine contracted radium poisoning from this practice and through a class action lawsuit brought against the company for their treatment and suffering, was awarded damages in 1938. Unfortunately, most of these women died before collecting any of the money.
Catherine died at age 35, surrounded by family, in Ottawa, IL. She won the war against worker injustice, but lost her life doing so.
Catherine worked for the Radium Dial Company in the 1930’s where she painted dials by hand with radium based paint. In order to keep their brushes pointed for the meticulous work, they were encouraged by management to “lip, dip, paint.” Catherine contracted radium poisoning from this practice and through a class action lawsuit brought against the company for their treatment and suffering, was awarded damages in 1938. Unfortunately, most of these women died before collecting any of the money.
Catherine died at age 35, surrounded by family, in Ottawa, IL. She won the war against worker injustice, but lost her life doing so.
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