2024 -- S 3080

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LC006167

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2024

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S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

EXPRESSING CONDOLENCES ON THE PASSING OF GEORGE A. DONOVAN

     

     Introduced By: Senator Valarie J. Lawson

     Date Introduced: May 20, 2024

     Referred To: Placed on the Senate Consent Calendar

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     WHEREAS, It is with deep sadness that this Senate has learned of the passing of George

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A. Donovan of East Providence, the beloved husband of the late Lois Donovan for fifty years;

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and

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     WHEREAS, George Donovan was born in Providence, a son of the late James and

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Gladys Donovan. He was a lifelong East Providence resident. During World War II, Mr.

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Donovan served our nation with honor and distinction as a member of the United States Coast

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Guard, serving on ships and on Islands in the Southwest Pacific region. He also served as a

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shipboard radio operator on the North Atlantic Ocean Weather and Ice Patrol; and

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     WHEREAS, George Donovan graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 1956

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and also studied at the Universities of Connecticut, Notre Dame, Brown University and Rhode

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Island College. After finishing his studies, he began a distinguished career as a public school

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teacher. He taught history at Central Junior High School for two years, and at East Providence

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High School for 28 years where he taught history, photography, and video production. He also

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served as the Audio-Visual Instructional Media Specialist for fifteen years, and taught

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photography at the East Providence Adult Evening School. In recognition of his outstanding work

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as a teacher, Mr. Donovan received the “Outstanding Educator” Award in 1985, and served as the

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Past President of the Rhode Island Social Studies Association; and

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     WHEREAS, George Donovan was also a talented photographer and audio-visual

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specialist. In the 1960s and 1970s he worked as a TV news photographer for WJAR-TV. He also

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videotaped all East Providence High School football games and other sports events for many

 

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decades, and earned a Distinguished Service Award for his more than forty years of service as a

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volunteer photographer with the East Providence Fire Department. He also produced firefighting

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training films for the Ciba-Geigy Chemical Corporation Fire Brigade, and served as the Staff

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Videographer for the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency’s Urban Search and Rescue

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Task Force; and

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     WHEREAS, George Donovan was very active in East Providence civic and charitable

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affairs. He served as a Chairman of the East Providence Citizens Advisory Committee for Cable

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Television, and was a member of the State Advisory Council for Cable Television. He also served

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on the School Board for Sacred Heart School, and was a member of the East Providence

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Historical Society, the Friends of the East Providence Library, and the Friends of Pomham Rocks

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Lighthouse, and the Newport Naval War College Foundation. He also served as a member of the

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National and Rhode Island Retired Teachers Associations, as the Rhode Island Legislative

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Committee Chairman and Scholarship Committee Chairman, and was Past President of the East

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Bay Retired Teachers Association; and

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     WHEREAS, George Donovan leaves behind his children, Commander Maureen

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Davidovich, USN (RET), and her husband, Paul, Kathleen Cournoyer and her husband, Joseph,

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Kristine Gannon and her husband, Gregory, Michael Donovan and his wife, Laura May, Stephen

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Donovan and his wife, Susan, and Timothy Donovan and his wife, Brenda, as well as his

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grandchildren, Matthew and Michael Cournoyer, Stephen, Peter and Kelly Donovan, Donald and

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Timothy Donovan, Colin, Sean and Ryan Gannon, and seven great-grandchildren; and

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     WHEREAS, George Donovan was predeceased by his wife, Lois, his twin brother James

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Donovan, brothers Robert Donovan and Dennis Donovan, sister Mary Donovan, and daughter-in-

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law, Sharon Donovan; now, therefore be it

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     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island hereby expresses its

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condolences on the passing of George A. Donovan; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

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transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to Commander Maureen Davidovich, Kathleen

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Cournoyer, Kristine Gannon, Michael Donovan, Steven Donovan and Timothy Donovan.

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