Paul Thomas Donovan

Our Dad, Paul Donovan, ever practical and fiscally-responsible, asked us not to write an obituary when he died because they’re “too expensive to publish and anyone who would care to read it is gone already.” We’re disobeying him in this instance, because he was just too great of a man to let him go quietly.

Paul died peacefully on May 23rd. He was born in Colchester, NY in 1935 to the late Robert and Elizabeth (Desmond) Donovan. He moved to the East Falls section of Philadelphia as a young boy. A 1953 graduate of Roman Catholic High School, Paul then joined Marines and served stateside during the Korean War.

He returned to Philadelphia and shortly thereafter, met his late wife Marianne (Hanlon). They were married for 56 years prior to her death 10 years ago. Paul and Marianne resided in Manayunk, Norristown, Pottstown, Elverson, Lewes, DE, Denver, PA and most recently for Paul, Plymouth Meeting.

Paul had a long career in banking and worked for nearly three decades at First Pennsylvania Bank in Philadelphia and its subsequent mergers. A devout Catholic, Paul lived the teachings of Jesus - he was a principled man of integrity with a servant’s heart. Paul was a volunteer at Graterford Prison and was a board member of the Pennsylvania Prison Society, believing in the dignity of people behind bars. He became a volunteer Pardons Case Representative for the Commonwealth of PA. He was a hospice volunteer, prepared taxes for low-income senior citizens, was a frequent blood donor and a branch chair for the American Red Cross. As an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, he gave Communion to the sick in their homes, various nursing home residents, and at Lancaster General Hospital. He was often an altar server and a lector. He was active in the Knights of Columbus when he resided in Denver, PA. He volunteered for the Archdiocese of Allentown at a nursing home. He was a CCD teacher, a little league baseball coach. There’s even an urban legend circulating about him that he took his entire little league team to a Phillies game in his Volkswagen Beetle in the mid ‘70s. All of this was in addition to chairing and serving on many banking and credit boards. Somehow, despite the fact that he had such a busy schedule, he was well-known for his infuriating promptness. If you told Paul that an event started at 3pm, he’d be sitting outside in his car at 2. Even when he had the longest commute to work and attended daily Mass, no employee could beat him into the office.

We aren’t sure when Paul slept. He had a long commute, he had a full schedule, but he always had time for a catch in the backyard, time for counseling one of his children, rocking someone’s colicky baby to sleep, time for a chat with one of his grandchildren, and time to drive his wife or his kids to various shopping malls or daytrips for sightseeing. He was good at so many things that we let him off the hook for his one flaw: being the world’s most terrifying driver’s education teacher. Your first lesson might include driving on the Schuylkill Expressway during rush hour, but it did not include his patience.

Surviving Paul are his five children, who were just crazy about him. One hundred years with him wouldn’t have been long enough! He leaves behind Rosemary (David) Schaffer, Marita (Scott) Burk, Paul (Dorothy), Megan (David) Magill, and Elizabeth (Adam) Conish. He was also an adored Pop to his grandchildren: Jessica, Emily, Grace, Molly, Sophia, Lucy, and Brendan, and was blessed to have six great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his younger brother Timothy (PJ).

A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated Friday, May 31st at 11 a.m. at Epiphany of Our Lord Church, 3050 Walton Road, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462. Friends and family may call prior to Mass from 9:30 to11 a.m. in the church. Burial will be private at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Paul’s name to: American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37839, Boone, IA 50037-0839, or online Donate Now - Online Donations | American Red Cross.

Stitzel Family Funeral Homes & Crematory, Inc., Laureldale is in charge of arrangements.  For online condolences, visit www.StitzelFamilyFuneralHomes.com. 

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