Michael James Donovan, Sr.

Michael James Donovan, Sr. passed away on October 2, 2019. He was born on July 29, 1942 in Kalamazoo, to the late Charles and Catherine (O’Neill) Donovan.

Mike worked in the family funeral business, the Donovan Funeral Home, from the time he was old enough to carry flowers. He obtained his Mortuary Science license in 1967 from the Wisconsin Institute of Mortuary Science. He married Sue Ann Fouts in Wisconsin in 1967 and the couple moved back to Kalamazoo when Mike began working full time in the Donovan Funeral Home in 1968. Mike moved his family to Phoenix, Arizona in 1975, where he became a financial advisor with Merrill Lynch and later Prudential Securities. In 1995 he joined the Securities Division of the State of Arizona Corporation Commission and spent the next fifteen years as a regulator of the State’s broker dealers and investment advisors. He finally retired in 2010.

For many years Mike was a regular volunteer at Andre House, a homeless shelter and soup kitchen in Phoenix. For a time he even worked as full-time staff at Andre House with responsibility for supervising volunteers, coordinating meal preparation, and overseeing other services of the shelter. Mike was an avid bridge player.

He is survived by two sons: Michael (Doris) and Ben (Christy); three siblings: Patrick, Kathy (David) Calver and David (Connie); three grandchildren: Connor, Ava and Dylan; a step-grandson, Dun’te Marshall-Garcia; and three great-grandchildren: London, Julius and Jaxon.

Family and friends are invited to a viewing on Friday, October 11, 2019 from 1-2 PM at West Resthaven Funeral Home, 6450 W. Northern Avenue, Glendale. Funeral services will begin at 2 PM. Burial will follow at Resthaven Park Cemetery. Donations in Michael’s memory can be made to Andre House, Phoenix, AZ.