Dennis Donnelly

1941 - 2023

Dennis Donnelly
September 16, 1941 - August 13, 2023
Dennis Michael Donnelly was born September 16, 1941, in Boston's LyingIn Hospital and died August 13, 2023, in Sonoma Valley Hospital at the age of 81. He was the first of Lawrence (Busty) and Helen Judge Donnelly's nine children. After early years spent living on Jeffries Point near Logan International Airport, his family moved out to Everett. Dennis often reminisced about the fun times he spent at near by Revere Beach where he developed his swimming skills and was inspired to build a boat of sorts called the Briny- Den II.

After graduating from Boston College in 1963, Dennis headed off to Hilo, Hawaii to train for the Peace Corps. His first posting was on the island of Sumatra, part of Indonesia. Living with a local family in Pekanbaru, Dennis worked in various sport programs. Due to political unrest and safety issues, Peace Corp volunteers were evacuated from Indonesia about a year into his service. Dennis was then transferred to Morocco. Throughout his life Dennis was never short for words when it came to remembering his years in the Peace Corps.

Returning to the United States after three years, Dennis touched base in Massachusetts, then headed out West for graduate studies in international relations at San Francisco State. It was in San Francisco where he met the woman he would be married to for 51 years - Josephine (Joy) Borgatello. Their three children - Nicolas, Sophia and Maryanna blessed their lives together.

Before moving to Sonoma to pursue his interest in construction, Dennis worked as a Probation Officer for the City/County of San Francisco among other less exciting jobs. Locally Dennis was employed as a Union Carpenter for a number of years then as an independent carpenter/contractor. He was proud to have helped with such local projects as the Wells Fargo Bank and the building that is currently Whole Foods.

Always happy to lend a helping hand, Dennis volunteered as a Cub Scout Leader and Overlook Trail worker. His all-time favorite task was reading stories to his daughter Sophie's elementary school classes.

Other than his wife and children mentioned above, survivors include a daughter-in-law Claire St John (Nick) and son-in-law Venus Happ (Sophia), siblings Brian (Eileen), Noreen Cavanaugh, Kevin, Danny, Irene Leviin and Joe as well as his brother-in-law C. Norman Borgatello (Kristan), grandson Marlow Happ and many loved nieces and nephews.

We would like to thank the compassionate Sonoma Valley Hospital Team who cared for Dennis and his family on his end of life journey.

Services will be held at St. Leo's Catholic Church, Friday, September 8th, 2023, at 11:00 a.m.