John Donovan, 88

John was born Nov. 7, 1937, in Lowell, Mass. His parents were William Lawrence Donovan and Valleria “Vera” Caroline Nowak. John’s grandparents were John Nowak and Catherine “Katie” Nostek.

John attended Boston University and the Hartford Institute of Accounting. In June 1956, John enlisted in the United States Air Force and served for a total of 36 years. He obtained an AS in management from the Community College of the Air Force and continued his education, receiving an MBA from Eastern Washington University in 1978.

In civilian life, John worked as an accountant and school district CFO. In 1981, he founded The Computer Connection, Inc., a full-service computer store. John retired from business in 2001 but continued to enjoy his work on genealogy projects, creating over 175 family trees and many family history books for clients. Since he was 15 years old, John has been an avid coin collector specializing in silver coins. He was diagnosed with cancer in 1997, 2015 and 2021. By the power of our Lord Jesus, he was healed from all these dreadful cancers.

John met his beloved wife Judith Marie Mayfield in Moses Lake, Wash., in 1963. They were married at the Hitching Post in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Judy passed in October 2019 after 56 years of marriage. John is also preceded in death by his parents, William and Vera Donovan, his grandparents, John and Catherine Nostek, and his sister, Carol Mann. He is survived by his sister, Gail DelFranco, of Stratford, Conn., three children, Michele Rohlinger of Cheney, Wash., John Donovan and his wife, Sandra, of Panama, and Mark Donovan of Winter Haven, Fla., granddaughters Allison Nichols of Idaho, Brooke Donovan of Calif., Haley Donovan of Wash., Dawn Delmark of Ala., Ashley Donovan of Conn., Katey Batres of Conn., and many great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

John Donovan was laid to rest at 11:15 a.m. on Jan. 8, 2026, at the Washington State Veterans Cemetery, Medical Lake, Washi. 

English Funeral Chapel has been entrusted with his care.