Doris Anastasia Donovan died peacefully on November 19, 2022. Visitation will be from 9 to 11:15 am Wednesday, November 30 at the Church of the Resurrection followed by the Mass of Christian Burial at 11:30 am.  Click here to view the Mass of Christian Burial for Doris Donovan Burial will be in St. Patrick’s Cemetery, Bernard.  

Doris was born on July 28, 1926, to William F. and Loretta Dunn.  She grew up in Bernard, Iowa, a devoted member of St. Patrick’s parish, and graduated from Garryowen High School at 15 years of age in 1942. 

Doris was a quintessential young woman of the 1940’s, favoring a structured suit, a stacked heel, and a full dance card.  A member of an Irish American postal dynasty - both her father and future husband were postmasters in Bernard - Doris clerked for the USPS on and off before her retirement in 1991.  

After World War II, Doris began a long courtship with her brother’s best friend, Raymond J. Donovan.  They married on Thanksgiving Day, November 23, 1950 (wedding on a holiday at her father’s request to avoid disruption to the local mail service). 

Her proudest achievement was raising her seven children.  Her love for them was manifest in fresh baked dinner rolls, homemade jam, baseball jerseys hanging on the clothesline, and irrationally exuberant outbursts at sporting events.  She instilled a strong sense of citizenship in her children and prized her “perfect” voting record.

Doris is survived by and will forever inspire her seven “favorite” children, their spouses, and her grandchildren: Robert (Linda, Patrick, Abby) Donovan; William (Peggy, Matthew, Michelle) Donovan; Luann (J.F., Jennifer, Sarah, Caitlyn, Shannon) Scherer; Nancy (Cris, Natalie, Nicholas) Schoon; Mary (Scott, Anastasia, Alexis, Andrew) Sweeney; John (Cynthia) Donovan; and Ann (David) Ricketts.  She leaves 15 great grandchildren. 

Doris was proceeded in death by her husband, parents, and siblings Billy, Betty, Louis, Charlie and Janet.

The Egelhof, Siegert and Casper Funeral Home and Crematory is in charge of arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Bernard Fire and EMS or Cascade Fire and EMS. 

The family would like to thank Dr. Andrea Ries for years of care and compassion to our mother, and Hospice of Dubuque staff for their professionalism and kindness in Mom’s final days.