James F. Donovan

James Francis Donovan, aged 96, passed away peacefully on August 17, 2026, in West Chester, Pa.

Jim was born in New Cumberland, Pa. to Charles Donovan, Jr. and Evelyn McCully Donovan on September 24, 1929, the youngest of four siblings.

He graduated from New Cumberland High School in 1947 and enlisted in the Navy, where he served as a medical corpsman. Upon leaving the Navy, Jim began work as a salesman at the Chester-Jensen Company in 1951. He spent his entire career at Chester-Jensen and retired in 2000 as president of the company.

He was a longtime member of Saint Mary Magdalene Parish in Media, where he loved to sing all the hymns with gusto. Jim enjoyed being active and had no patience for idleness in himself or anyone else. He played golf, tennis and squash, loved woodworking, and fixing anything that needed to be fixed with an engineer's precision. He could regularly be seen walking in Ridley Creek State Park until his move to Wellington at Hershey's Mill. Jim was the king of the long-winded, corny joke, the paper napkin diagram, and the drive to get ice cream, the higher the butter fat, the better. He was always there to lend a hand (or a dollar) no matter the situation.

James is survived by his wife of 75 years, Frances Neidig Donovan; daughters Terri Belonzi and Betsy Smith; grandchildren Becky Tengwall, Christine Friedel, Tim Smith, Christian Smith and Mallory Smith; and 14 great grandchildren. He was predeceased by his sons John Michael (age 16) and James Christopher (age 15 months).

Relatives and friends are invited to his Visitation 9:30-10:20 AM Friday, August 21, 2026 at SS Peter & Paul Church, 1325 Boot Road, West Chester, PA 19380, followed by his Funeral Mass at 10:30 AM. Interment private at a later date at Holy Cross Cemetery, Harrisburg, PA.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to the Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758516, Topeka, Kansas 66675-8516, Wounded Warrior Project, would be appreciated.