The Very Rev. Daniel Donovan, 76, fell asleep in the Lord at Allegheny Lutheran Home here on Wednesday, June 6, 2007.
Born June 19, 1930, in Bronx, NY, the son of the late Dennis and Ellen [Gaughan] Donovan, he graduated from Christ the Savior Seminary, Johnstown, PA in 1955. Later the same year, he was married to the former Helen Stropko and ordained to the diaconate and priestood by His Grace, Bishop Orestes of the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Diocese.
After his reception in to the Metropolia [OCA] in December 1957, Father Daniel was assigned assistant rector of All Saints Church, Hartford, CT. The following year, he was assigned rector of Saint Michael Church, Old Forge, PA, while in 1964, he was assigned rector of Saints Peter and Paul Church, Lorain, OH. During his pastorate in Ohio, he served as publicity director and member of the publications committee of the Ohio Deanery and an auditor of Saint John Home for the Aged, Hiram, OH. He also served as spiritual advisor to Orthodox Christian students at Oberlin College and assisted in organizing the Orthodox Christian Fellowship’s national college conference there in 1968.
Father Daniel served as rector of Saint John the Baptist Church, Passaic, NJ, from 1969 until 1980, after which he was assigned rector of Saint Basil Church, Watervliet, NY. In 1998, he was assigned rector of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist Church, Philipsburg, PA. After his retirement from active ministry in 2006, he was attached to Saint John the Baptist Church, Conemaugh, PA.
Father Daniel received numerous awards, including the right to wear a jewelled cross. He was also an avid collector of Orthodox publications.
Father Daniel was preceded in death by his wife in 2006. He is survived by three daughters, Faith Johnson, and husband, the Very Rev. George Johnson, rector of Saint John the Baptist Church, Conemaugh, PA; Elaine Hirschberg, and husband James, Port Washington, NY; and Catherine Donovan, Fairfax, VA; and grandchildren Benjamin and Marina Johnson, Christopher and Melanie Hirschberg, and Andrew and Aaron Dixon.
Visitation will be held at Saint John the Baptist Church, 427 First Street, Conemaugh, PA, on Sunday, June 10, from 2:00 until 8:00 p.m. The Funeral Service will be celebrated at 6:30 p.m. On Monday, June 11, the Divine Liturgy will be celebrated at 9:00 a.m. Interment will be at Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk Monastery Cemetery, South Canaan, PA.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Father Daniel’s memory may be made to Saint John the Baptist Church Building Fund, 427 First Street, Conemaugh, PA 15909.
May Father Daniel’s memory be eternal!