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 | |
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Introduced By: Senator Valarie J. Lawson | |
Date Introduced: May 20, 2024 | |
Referred To: Placed on the Senate Consent Calendar | |
1 | WHEREAS, It is with deep sadness that this Senate has learned of the passing of George |
2 | A. Donovan of East Providence, the beloved husband of the late Lois Donovan for fifty years; |
3 | and |
4 | WHEREAS, George Donovan was born in Providence, a son of the late James and |
5 | Gladys Donovan. He was a lifelong East Providence resident. During World War II, Mr. |
6 | Donovan served our nation with honor and distinction as a member of the United States Coast |
7 | Guard, serving on ships and on Islands in the Southwest Pacific region. He also served as a |
8 | shipboard radio operator on the North Atlantic Ocean Weather and Ice Patrol; and |
9 | WHEREAS, George Donovan graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 1956 |
10 | and also studied at the Universities of Connecticut, Notre Dame, Brown University and Rhode |
11 | Island College. After finishing his studies, he began a distinguished career as a public school |
12 | teacher. He taught history at Central Junior High School for two years, and at East Providence |
13 | High School for 28 years where he taught history, photography, and video production. He also |
14 | served as the Audio-Visual Instructional Media Specialist for fifteen years, and taught |
15 | photography at the East Providence Adult Evening School. In recognition of his outstanding work |
16 | as a teacher, Mr. Donovan received the “Outstanding Educator” Award in 1985, and served as the |
17 | Past President of the Rhode Island Social Studies Association; and |
18 | WHEREAS, George Donovan was also a talented photographer and audio-visual |
19 | specialist. In the 1960s and 1970s he worked as a TV news photographer for WJAR-TV. He also |
20 | videotaped all East Providence High School football games and other sports events for many |
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1 | decades, and earned a Distinguished Service Award for his more than forty years of service as a |
2 | volunteer photographer with the East Providence Fire Department. He also produced firefighting |
3 | training films for the Ciba-Geigy Chemical Corporation Fire Brigade, and served as the Staff |
4 | Videographer for the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency’s Urban Search and Rescue |
5 | Task Force; and |
6 | WHEREAS, George Donovan was very active in East Providence civic and charitable |
7 | affairs. He served as a Chairman of the East Providence Citizens Advisory Committee for Cable |
8 | Television, and was a member of the State Advisory Council for Cable Television. He also served |
9 | on the School Board for Sacred Heart School, and was a member of the East Providence |
10 | Historical Society, the Friends of the East Providence Library, and the Friends of Pomham Rocks |
11 | Lighthouse, and the Newport Naval War College Foundation. He also served as a member of the |
12 | National and Rhode Island Retired Teachers Associations, as the Rhode Island Legislative |
13 | Committee Chairman and Scholarship Committee Chairman, and was Past President of the East |
14 | Bay Retired Teachers Association; and |
15 | WHEREAS, George Donovan leaves behind his children, Commander Maureen |
16 | Davidovich, USN (RET), and her husband, Paul, Kathleen Cournoyer and her husband, Joseph, |
17 | Kristine Gannon and her husband, Gregory, Michael Donovan and his wife, Laura May, Stephen |
18 | Donovan and his wife, Susan, and Timothy Donovan and his wife, Brenda, as well as his |
19 | grandchildren, Matthew and Michael Cournoyer, Stephen, Peter and Kelly Donovan, Donald and |
20 | Timothy Donovan, Colin, Sean and Ryan Gannon, and seven great-grandchildren; and |
21 | WHEREAS, George Donovan was predeceased by his wife, Lois, his twin brother James |
22 | Donovan, brothers Robert Donovan and Dennis Donovan, sister Mary Donovan, and daughter-in- |
23 | law, Sharon Donovan; now, therefore be it |
24 | RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island hereby expresses its |
25 | condolences on the passing of George A. Donovan; and be it further |
26 | RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to |
27 | transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to Commander Maureen Davidovich, Kathleen |
28 | Cournoyer, Kristine Gannon, Michael Donovan, Steven Donovan and Timothy Donovan. |
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LC006167 | |
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