Nellie Mae Donovan 1907-2006

FOUT, DEWEY, DONOVAN

Posted By: michael (email)
Date: 3/4/2006 at 11:12:26

Nellie Mae Donovan, 98, formerly of Iowa City, died Thursday, March 02, 2006 at Crestview Care Center in West Branch, following a lengthy illness.

Funeral Mass will be celebrated Tuesday, March 7, 2006 at 10am at St. Mary’s Church with Rev. Ken Kuntz officiating. Burial will be at St. Joseph’s Cemetery. A luncheon at the church hall will follow the committal. Friends may call from 3 to 7pm, Monday at Lensing Funeral and Cremation Service, where a rosary will be recited at 3:30pm. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the UI Foundation c/o Alzheimer’s Research or the Mercy Hospital Foundation c/o Diabetes Education.

Nellie was born July 30, 1907 in Graham Township, rural Johnson County. She was the daughter of Albert and Carrie (Fout) Dewey. On February 20, 1928 she married George P. Donovan at St. Patrick’s Church, Iowa City. He died in 1987.

Nellie and George lived in Lisbon from 1930-39 and then returned to Johnson County, where they farmed in Scott Township.

Nellie was a member of St. Mary’s Church, where she volunteered in later years, the Altar and Rosary Society and the Scott Township Social Circle.

Nellie had a strong work ethic. She enjoyed flowers and watching birds. Nellie gardened and put up fruits and vegetables each year. She was an avid reader and wrote poetry. In 1994, Nellie published her poetry in a booklet called “The Heart Hat”.

Nellie is survived by seven children; Wilma Jean (Tom) Denneny of Iowa City, Betty (Alan) Patton of Oxnard, CA, Roland (Darlene) Donovan of Iowa City, Patrick (Jackie) Donovan of Iowa City, Rosemary (D.G.) Partridge of Breda, IA, Susan (Jim) Reese of Conroe, TX and Kathleen Donovan of Regina, Canada; 22 grandchildren – Deane (Jerry) Strawn, Jim (Diane) Denneny, Barbara (Joel) Wells, Mary (Patrick) O’Leary, Genelle Denneny, Steven (Patty) Denneny, Susan (Mack) Andrews, Colleen Mahoney, Tim Denneny, Tony (Pauline) Marlas, Carrie (John) St. Michael, Stan (Vicki) Donovan, Teresa (Bill) Loikets, Brian (Joan) Donovan, Tim (Marcia) Donovan, Michelle (Darin) Lamont, Todd (Rachael) Partridge, David Partridge, Elizabeth (Brian) Blessington, Jennifer Reese, Jill Reese, and Stephanie Reese; 46 great-grandchildren and 6 great-great-grandchildren; two sisters, Gladys Wells of Iowa City and Doris Lynch of West Branch.

Nellie was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, one brothers Lawrence and three sisters Alice, Mary and Anne.

On-line condolences may be directed to www.lensingfuneral.com