Lillian "Boots" O'Donovan

Lillian Rives "Boots" Worrell O'Donovan, 84, died Tuesday, March 12, 2019.

Born in Savannah on November 25, 1934, Lillian was a daughter of the late Lillian Burkhalter Worrell and Rives E. Worrell. She graduated from Savannah High School in 1952 and attended Sullins Junior College in Bristol, VA where she majored in voice and minored in ballet.

Lillian then moved to New York and studied ballet at the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo under the tutelage of Madame Swoboda, a noted ballet teacher and former prima ballerina of the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow, Russia. She also studied under the highly respected teacher and lead dancer of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, Leon Danielian.

Her voice training was guided by the celebrated American opera singer, Rose Bampton, who had an active international career and a lengthy and fruitful partnership with the Metropolitan Opera Company in New York. Ms. Bampton's husband, Canadian Maestro Wilfrid Pelletier, was a voice coach and conductor for the Metropolitan Opera, conducting the Metropolitan Orchestra in the absence of conductor and music director Arturo Toscanini.

When she returned to Savannah Lillian directed the youth and junior choirs at Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church. Her true love was ballet and she started teaching ballet around 1955 in the Isle of Hope area. She retired in 2000. Through the years she enjoyed teaching, singing, dancing, modeling, golfing, bowling, needlework, gardening, and was an avid bridge player. Lillian was a member of Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church and the Savannah Yacht Club and a former member of the Savannah Golf Club.

Preceded in death by her husband, John Frances O'Donovan, she leaves behind her children, David and John; her sisters, Peggy Murphy and Betsy Davis (Tom); her two grandchildren, John Jr. and Jessica, and several nieces, nephews, lovely students and friends.

Visitation will be 10:00 to 11:00 a.m., Monday, March 18, 2019 at Fox & Weeks, Hodgson Chapel.

Funeral Service will be 11:00 a.m., Monday, March 18, 2019 at Fox & Week, Hodgson Chapel, followed by burial in the Catholic Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church, 429 Abercorn Street, Savannah, GA 31401, or a charity of your choice.