- Date Of Birth: April 27, 1939
- Date Of Death: August 26, 2016
- State: Maine
Woolwich – Robert J. Donovan, 77, of Woolwich, died peacefully at his home on August 26, 2016. He was born on April 27, 1939 in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, the son of Daniel R. Sr. and Grace (Murphy) Donovan.
He graduated from Edward Little High School, Auburn, Maine in 1957, where he was quarterback for the 1956 state championship team. He was the New England Cross Country Ski Champion in 1956 and twice won the broad jump at the Maine State Track and Field Championships.
Bob graduated from the University of Maine with a BS in Mechanical Engineering and was then commissioned as a Navy officer and served on the Bath Iron Works built destroyer, USS Glennon (DD-840) and the USS Douglas H Fox (DD-779). “Joe”, as he was known to his navy buddies, served in Vietnam as Executive Officer of a squadron of 10 patrol boats in the Mekong Delta during the Tet Offensive.
After his U.S. Navy Career, Bob worked at Bath Iron Works as Director of Project Engineering on the Aegis Cruiser Program. After BIW, he worked for John J. McMullen Associates until his retirement in 1999.
He was predeceased by his parents, Daniel R. Sr. and Grace V. Donovan and his brother, Daniel R. Donovan, Jr., of Bath, Maine.
Bob is survived by his wife of 42 years, Suzie Pankhurst Donovan; son, Mark C. Donovan and his wife Brigid Palmer and grandsons Michael and Matthew Donovan of Bowdoinham; daughter, Laurie H. Donovan and her other half, Walter Sadowski of Nantucket, MA; a nephew, several nieces; several great-nephews and nieces.
He loved traveling, fishing and golf.
