Obituary of Raymond Donovan

Raymond W. Donovan

Raymond W. Donovan was born on July 20, 1938 and went to be with the Lord surrounded by his family on November 7th 2019.  He was born in Brooklyn NY, which ironically was in the same hospital as his future wife.  He was raised in Brooklyn, the son of an NYPD Officer Ray Sr, where he lived with his mom Mary and his two sisters Eileen and Dorothy.  They spent summers at their cottage in the "country" in Huntington till eventually moving there full time in his teens.  He worked many jobs including gas station attendant, Gold Star beach manager and in an insurance office where he met his wife, Susan.  He served in the National Guard and worked to put himself thru college.  He became a teacher for BOCES where he taught for nearly 30 years.  In the summer he operated a home improvement business and plowed snow in the winter, with snow plow drivers needed for his 3 trucks he gave friends and family-even Susan and Doreen the pleasure of plowing the streets of Huntington during blizzards.  He was husband to Susan for nearly 50 years, father to Keith, Shawn and Doreen.  He was a giving father and hard working provider who would do anything at any time for his family.  He was a loving Papa to Daniel, Kathryn, Emma, Colin, and Kayla.  Through his efforts, his family was able to spend priceless quality time together in Woodlock PA, Montauk, Florida and Puerto Rico.  Ray and Susan were able to enjoy many, many unforgettable trips together as well.  He always lived within his means and preferred to fix the broken thing instead of buying a new one.  "Old School" would be an appropriate term for him, he just got a flip phone last month, kept an expense sheet on graph paper and managed to never change a diaper-my, my how times have changed!  Aside of traveling with Susan and spending time with family, he loved tinkering in the garage, his 1985 Chevy Blazer, his lawn mower collection and of course his modern electronic reclining chair.  He was not always the easiest person to be around, in fact, his peers in the very first Walt Whitman High School graduating class in 1957, voted him most stubborn.  The only woman in the world that would have stayed by his side is his endlessly forgiving wife, Susan.  She is the glue that kept things together.  He will be deeply missed by all who knew him for his generosity, devotion to family and endless arsenal of jokes.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations made to Saint Jude Children’s Research Hospital www.stjude.org in Raymond’s name would be greatly appreciated by the family