Laureen M. (Mitchell) Donovan

Laureen M. (Mitchell) Donovan, of Waltham, passed away on Thursday, May 9, 2024, at Newton Wellesley Hospital. She was 79.

Born in Waltham on January 4, 1945, Laureen was the daughter of the late Lawrence and Agnes (Glynn) Mitchell. She was a proud graduate of St. Mary's High School in 1962 furthered her education by obtaining a degree from Massachusetts Bay Community College.

Following graduation, she was hired to manage the night program at the college. For many years, Laureen served in administrative positions at the VA and Waltham Hospitals, where she took on additional duties that would typically be done by the nurses. As a natural caregiver, having taken care of her parents since the age of 12, she loved the opportunity to take on these extra responsibilities at the hospital. Transitioning into new chapters of her life, after raising her four children, she pursued a career in real estate at Coldwell Banker and ran a successful cake decorating business. Her creative talent extended to teaching night classes in cake decorating at Waltham High School.

Inseparable since their high school days at St. Mary's, Laureen married her beloved Joseph P. Donovan, Sr., in 1966. Laureen and Joe were lifelong Waltham residents and loved their hometown. However, they never missed an opportunity to travel. Attending conferences with the Jaycee’s took them all over the United States, and Laureen was known for organizing the best parties during the conferences. They would bring the kids along, and the family created many happy memories and friendships along their travels. They also enjoyed their summer vacations to Scituate, Assonet, and Gloucester.

Laureen would do anything to help others and dedicated herself to many organizations. She volunteered with the United Cerebral Palsy Association. She was on the church council, an Eucharistic minister, and taught CCD at St. Mary’s, and was ward 7-2’s, election warden for many years. She always wanted to help any organization her children were involved with and helped make many of them more successful. She dedicated her time, effort, and love to her children’s activities and enjoyed her roles as a class mom, chaperoning field trips, serving on the PTA, volunteering with the Brownies and Girl Scouts and she took on many roles to support the different leagues at Nipper Maher Park. And as the unofficial neighborhood mom/nurse, when any of the neighborhood kids had to get patched up, they went and saw Laureen, then stayed for dinner! She will be remembered for that loving and welcoming spirit she shared with everyone she met.

In addition to her husband, Joseph, she leaves her children, Joseph Donovan, Jr. (wife Donna) of Waltham, Tara Brown (husband Ian) of Bellingham, and Kerrie Donovan of Waltham; her grandchildren, Jonathan, Matthew and Michael; her sister, Karyn Boutin (husband Richard) of Assonet, along with her beloved nephews and their families.

Family and friends will honor and remember Laureen’s life by gathering for calling hours in The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street (Rte. 20), Waltham on Thursday, May 16th, from 5 to 8 p.m. and again at 9 a.m. on Friday morning before leaving in procession to Saint Mary's Church, 133 School Street, Waltham, where her Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Burial will follow in Mount Feake Cemetery.