Timothy Donovan

Timothy E. Donovan, Sr., 90, of Inverness, died peacefully at home on Thursday, November 16, 2017. Timothy was born February 28, 1927 in New Haven, CT, son of Dennis and Doris Donovan.  He served in the US Navy during WWII, Korea, and Vietnam, retiring as a Chief Petty Officer in 1967.  Tim and his wife Betty moved to Inverness in 1991 after he retired from the State of CT Unemployment Division.  Tim was a member and longtime usher at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church.  A proud veteran, Tim enjoyed honoring service members returning from overseas deployment in the global war on terror with his support of Operation Welcome Home in Citrus County. His memberships included the USS Stoddard and LST 1120 Alumni Associations, FRA Branch 186, VFW 4337, American Legion #50 in Ansonia, CT, and Citrus County Real Estate Board. Tim graduated from Renouard Training School for Embalmers in 1947 and was a former member of the National Funeral Directors Association.

Tim was a lifelong Red Sox, Green Bay Packers, and Notre Dame football fan, but his passion was baseball- especially watching and coaching his 3 sons. He started the Ansonia Senior Babe Ruth League and the Ansonia Merchants Team. He volunteered regularly at the Ted Williams Museum.

Tim was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Elizabeth Donovan; son, Timothy Donovan, Jr.; and brother, John Donovan.  Survivors include his children, Maureen (Brian) Emerick, Ocala, FL;  Patricia (Richard) Wheway, Wilbraham, MA; Dennis (Valerie) Donovan, Rocky Hill, CT; and Brian (Katrina) Donovan, Crystal River, FL; daughter-in-law, Marilyn Payne of Mystic, CT; brother, Rev. William D. Donovan of Seymour, CT; sister, Jane Regan of Shelton, CT; grandchildren, Meghan Donovan, Sean Smith, Shannon Smith McConnell, Molly Donovan, Jordan Emerick, Timothy Donovan, Ryan Ray, Kalyn Ray, and Kelsy Ray; great grandsons David and Hunter and several nieces and nephews. The family especially thanks Cynthia Pucci, Tim’s devoted caregiver.

Tim’s family will receive friends from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 18, 2017 at Heinz Funeral Home with a prayer service at 5:30 p.m.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at the Church of the Assumption in Ansonia, CT with internment at Pine Grove Cemetery in Ansonia at a later date.

Memorial donations, in lieu of flowers, may be made to Operation Welcome Home, PO Box 1046, Inverness, FL 34450 or Our Lady of Fatima Church, 550 US HWY 41 South, Inverness, FL 34450.  Heinz Funeral Home & Cremation, Inverness, FL. heinzfh.com