Jean Donovan La Due

AUBURN < Jean Donovan La Due, of Auburn, passed in the early dawn Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2007, at Matthew House in Auburn. Born on June 13, 1922, Jean was the daughter of the late Earl and Juliet Sullivan Donovan and she was a life resident of the Auburn area. She graduated from the Auburn School of Nursing as a registered nurse and entered the Navy during World War II. While in the Navy, she was also nurse at the Sampson Naval Base in Romulus. Upon her discharge from the Navy, she continued her education receiving her degree in Speech & Audiology from the University of South Florida. She was employed at various locations, which included LeMoyne College and the American Red Cross, both of Syracuse. She also worked as a nurse at Mercy Health & Rehabilitation Center, Cayuga County Department of Health, and as a substitute nurse for Auburn School District. In addition, she was instrumental in the development of the Syracuse Head Start program, a member of the International Wife"s Club of Syracuse and a communicant of Holy Family Church in Auburn. Jean enjoyed knitting, especially sweaters, reading and writing essays and poetry. She won numerous awards for her poetry. She is survived by one son, Paul La Due and his wife, Carol, of Rochester; three daughters, Joan Pitcher and her husband, David, of Boston, Mass., Mariellen Androsko and her husband, William, of Auburn, and Theresa Cool and her husband, Timothy, of Auburn; five grandchildren, Juliette Simmons, Brad Pitcher, Martha La Due, Bridgette Cool and Timothy R. Cool; two sisters, Rita Dunn and Mary Louise Lepak; and two brothers, Patrick Donovan and Bernard Donovan, predeceased Jean. Family and friends are invited to call from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 14, at the Brew Funeral Home, 48 South St., Auburn. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 13, in Holy Family Church, North Street, Auburn. Interment will be in St. Joseph"s Cemetery at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made to Hospice of the Finger Lakes, 1130 Corporate Drive, Auburn, NY 13021; or to Matthew House Inc., 47 Metcalf Drive, Auburn, NY 13021, in memory of Jean A. Donovan La Due. To send a message to the family, sign our guest book at www.auburnpub.com and click on obituaries.