Kalas Funeral Home & Crematory

Daniel Emmett Donovan, 89, Captain, U.S. Navy (Retired), passed away suddenly on August 9, 2021 at the BayWoods retirement community in Annapolis, MD after a lifetime of love and service to his family, country, friends and community.  Born in Oil City, PA to the late Dorothy and Emmett Donovan, Daniel and his family later moved to Hershey, PA where they planted deep roots that live on to this day. In 1954, Dan graduated from the University of South Carolina and received a commission through the NROTC program. He went on to serve a 28-year distinguished naval career that included working for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Northwood, England in 1967, where he helped oversee and coordinate U.S. and allied submarine operations. In 1968, Dan took command of the fast attack diesel submarine USS Darter (SS 576), operating from Charleston, SC. Here, the submarine earned the Navy’s Battle “E” designation for excellence, and Dan formed strong bonds with sailors and fellow officers who cherished him. Another career highlight came in 1978, when Dan took command of the Naval Communication Area Master Station for the Atlantic Area in Norfolk, VA, which facilitated radio message traffic to and from naval vessels on the East coast and overseas sites from Iceland and Scotland to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. For this role, Dan was awarded the Navy’s Legion of Merit medal. Upon Navy retirement in 1982, Dan began a career in the communications industry, primarily with ARINC Research Corporation in Annapolis.

Dan and his beloved wife, Joan, moved to the Gingerville community in Edgewater, MD where they started a new chapter and became active in helping others, primarily through St. Mary’s Parish. Together, they led an Adult Bible Study group; later Dan became a Lay Minister to provide outreach to the Jennifer Road Detention Center prisoner program, which he did for 22 years. Dan and Joan served on many Gingerville committees; helped with social events and sponsored many U.S. Naval Academy midshipmen, who they adored.  In 1997, Dan founded his own communications consulting firm, D2/C2 Communications, and consulted for ARINC and other firms until he fully retired in 2008. In his free time, Dan wrote and self-published a three-book series of children’s stories featuring PueDy, a friendly skunk with a magical tail. Copies have been sold locally in Annapolis bookstores. In 2015, Dan and Joan moved to BayWoods of Annapolis, where Dan served on many committees, assisted with Catholic worship services and made many beloved friends. Dan’s favorite activity was spending time with his grandkids; from weekly phone calls to organizing family reunions, dressing up as Santa for their preschool to attending music and sports performances, he took every opportunity to support them. Dan was also an ardent supporter of US Naval Academy football and loved watching sports of all kinds. He maintained a positive outlook and supported his wife and family through the most difficult of times. He set an example focused on love, loyalty, courage and education and became a father and grandfather figure to many.

Dan is survived by his children, Daniel G. (Janet) Donovan of Camp Hill, PA, Patrick (Jody) Donovan of Panama City Beach, FL, Elizabeth (Keith) Sappington of Riva, MD; his sister-in-law, Janet (Jack) Hetherington of Phoenix, AZ; his eight grandchildren, Kate (Steven) McCord, Jackie (Kyle) Sullivan, Bridget (Derek) Bonnette, Molly, Meredith and Mia Grace Donovan, Anna and James Sappington and one great grandson, Henry McCord.  

Dan was preceded in death by his wife, Joan; his older sister, Therese Donovan Pollard and his granddaughter, Megan Dorothy Donovan.

A memorial Mass of the Resurrection will be offered on Tuesday, Aug. 17 at 10:30 am at St. John Neumann Catholic Church, 620 Bestgate Rd., Annapolis, MD. A reception will follow at the church social hall and interment will be at 1:45 pm at the Maryland Veterans Cemetery in Crownsville, MD.

Condolences may be made online by visiting the Memory Wall tab on this page.

Daniel Emmett Donovan

Daniel Emmett Donovan

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