TIMOTHY R. DONOVAN Jr.

DONOVAN, Timothy R. Jr. Age 76, passed away peacefully in his home in Arlington, MA, on May 23. His consistently positive attitude and excellence in all he pursued left an imprint on all who knew him. Tim was born in Cambridge, MA, on June 13, 1945. He was the oldest of Timothy and Helen (McGrath) Donovan's four children. In his early years, he attended the Sacred Heart School in Watertown. After the family moved to Belmont, he entered the Belmont school system, graduating in 1963. There he excelled in school and was a basketball star, possibly helped by his towering 6'6" height. Earning a college basketball scholarship, he attended Norwich University; and after graduation, married his college sweetheart, Ruth Francis, and later had two children, Maureen and Terence. He earned master's degree from the UNH, and a PhD from the University of Wisconsin. Tim joined the Northeastern faculty in 1974 and remained there until his retirement in 2009. He was an English professor, a dean in the College of Arts and Sciences, and he established writing programs across the world. Tim authored and edited many books and essays on writing and education and was also a freelance correspondent for the Boston Globe, writing about his travel adventures. He served on the Board of Fellows at Norwich University for many years, and enjoyed keeping up with his fellow alumni. He followed basketball his whole life, but loved playing tennis and enjoyed weekly games with friends. He rarely missed a Red Sox or Celtics game. He was an avid biker and canoeist. As corn hole champ in later years despite his challenges from Parkinson's disease, he was able to consistently score holes-in-one much of the time, beating almost anyone. He loved visiting his family in Ireland. He taught Irish literature at NU, read Irish magazines and newspapers, and would only drink Guinness. He was rarely without his numerous newspapers or his dog, and seldom missed watching Jeopardy at night with his son. Tim will be deeply missed by his son, Terence Donovan of Arlington; sisters Paula Donovan Olsen and Mary Donovan Kiernan, of Bedford, NH; and his wonderful nieces and their families, colleagues and friends. He was predeceased by his beloved wife, Ruth Donovan; daughter Maureen Donovan Regan; and brother, Kevin. A Wake will be held on Tuesday, May 31, 2022 from 10 to 11 a.m. at the DeVito Funeral Home in ARLINGTON, followed by a Memorial Service at 11:30 a.m. at St. Eulalia's Church, Winchester, MA. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Parkinson Foundation (parkinsons.org) or a youth athletic scholarship program.