John Leo Donovan, 89, passed peacefully on Sunday, December 9, 2018 in Jacksonville, Florida. John was born in Rochester, New York on April 1, 1929 to Joseph Leo Donovan and Wilhelmina Fawcett. John was raised in Rochester, earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Rochester, and his PhD in nuclear physics at the University of Michigan. John married Eunice Bradley in 1953, settled back in Rochester, and together raised four sons. John worked in the research labs at Eastman Kodak, and was also a professor in the Physics Department at the University of Rochester. John was an avid sports fan, and a lifelong Cleveland Browns and St. Louis Cardinals fan. John was a regular on the tennis court, and also a life master bridge player. John taught duplicate bridge at Kodak for many years. John also enjoyed coaching his boys in Little League baseball. After retirement, John and Eunice spent part of the year in Rochester, and part of the year in Gainesville, Florida. In Gainesville, John became an avid Florida Gators basketball fan.
John is survived by his wife of 65 years, Eunice; his four sons, John (Terry), Brian (Eileen), James (Peg) and Kevin (Shar); thirteen grandchildren; two great grandchildren; and his brother, William of Port Charlotte, Florida.
A funeral mass will be held on Saturday December 15, 2018 at 2:00 pm, at San Jose Catholic Church in Jacksonville. John will be dearly missed, but his family is comforted knowing he is in heaven with his parents, and his sister, Dorothy.
Arrangements by Hardage-Giddens Oaklawn Chapel, 4801 San Jose Blvd., Jacksonville.
Please sign the guestbook at www.hardagegiddensoaklawnchapel.com.
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