James Gordon Donovan passed away peacefully in his sleep on Saturday, July 13, 2024.
He was a compassionate, loyal, perceptive and thoughtful man of integrity who deeply touched the lives of those around him.
Jim was a man of few words. He taught us what it means to live a selfless life of service to others, and he usually taught those lessons without saying a word.
With his hope firmly planted in Jesus Christ, Jim lived and breathed the love, the faith and the humility that he read about in the scriptures that he studied and cherished.
In the years following his 1964 graduation from Ferndale High School, Jim began to earn his well-deserved reputation as a humble, servant-leader. His life was marked by his service. He proudly served his country as an Army Engineer officer with assignments in the U.S. and in West Germany during the Cold War. He was a veteran of the Vietnam war, having served in the 20th Engineer Brigade.
He also led and served his loving wife and his family for over 55 years. He led and served his Skagit County co-workers for 30 years during his career as a juvenile probation officer and supervisor. Over the past 40 years, he has served the Lord as a preacher, a youth pastor and an adult and children’s Sunday school teacher, at the three local congregations that he attended (Avon United Methodist, Bethany Covenant, Calvary Chapel Northwest).
When he wasn’t studying, Jim could typically be found experimenting over a hot grill. Often, it would be a grill that was ignited by an overly aggressive application of lighter fluid, earning him the nickname Jim “The Flash” Gordon Donovan. After re-growing both eyebrows (a couple of times), The Flash finally perfected his grilled oyster recipe. He adored cooking for his family and guests whenever he had the chance.
Fall Saturdays were reserved for Washington Husky football games, and unless you had a family emergency, your phone call would have to wait until halftime, or the end of regulation. Jim seemed to possess an unwavering confidence that both the football referees and the coaching staff, were actually able to hear him articulate his strategic observations from his living room sofa. In his own mind, Jim was a perennial candidate for coach of the year, 30 years running.
Jim is survived by his high school sweetheart, best friend, and wife of 55 years Robin (Hood) Donovan; daughter Anne (David) Clark; son Peter (Janna) Donovan; and daughter Sarah (Shad) Waite; brothers Brian, Mike, and Tom; grandchildren Taylor (William) Babcock, Miranda Waite, Ethan Shelley, Ben Donovan, Donovan James Clark, Isaac Donovan, and Ava Donovan; his great-grandson, Jack Babcock; and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.
Other things that Jim left behind include 18 years of automobile service maintenance records, many of them for vehicles that he no longer owned (all were alphabetized). He is also survived by a pristine and seasoned BBQ cooking surface, and some detailed (handwritten) notes on every vacation destination he had ever visited.
He was preceded in death by his father Gordon Donovan, his mother Clarice (Lingbloom) Donovan, and his sisters Eileen Donovan and Kathy (James) Tutty.
A service and celebration of Jim Donovan’s life and the incredible impact that he had on this world is planned for Thursday, Aug. 22 at 4 p.m. at Calvary Chapel Northwest, 6015 Guide Meridian, Bellingham.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a contribution to the James G. Donovan Memorial Scholarship honoring veterans, through Skagit Valley College Foundation (www.skagitfoundation.org), or Whatcom County Pregnancy Clinic (www.whatcomclinic.com), or the Skagit C.A.R.E. Medical Center (www.CareMedicalCenter.org).
