Damian Donovan

Damian J. Donovan, age 83 of Waseca, died on Thursday, July 24, 2008 at Immanuel-St. Joseph Hospital in Mankato. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, July 28th at 11:00 .m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Waseca with Fr. Martin Schaefer officiating.  Interment will be in the Calvary Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Monday morning for one hour prior to services, at Sacred Heart Church.  McRaith Funeral Home of Waseca is handling arrangements.  In lieu of flowers memorials preferred to donor's choice. Damian Joseph was born on May 23, 1925 to Dennis and Catherine (Ford) Donovan in Waseca, Minnesota.  He graduated from Sacred Heart High School and was immediately inducted into the U.S. Navy on Sept. 22, 1943.  During WWII he served on a destroyer his entire duty, and was honorably discharged on March 18, 1946.  Damian worked on the railroad for a short time after returning home from the military.  He retired from Corchran Inc. on January 1, 1988 after 30 years of service.  Damian was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Waseca, and a life member of the Waseca American Legion Post # 228 and the Sweet-Sommers VFW Post # 1642 in Waseca. He is survived by his two sisters, Mary Jane Gehring and Florentine Thomson, both of Waseca; by two nephews Gregory Thomson of Waterville and Michael Gehring of Rochester, and three nieces Pat Benda of Forest City, Iowa, Mary Clare Harter and Denise Manthe, of Waseca. He was preceded in death by his parents and two siblings, Sylvester Donovan in 1996 and Lucile Greeney in 1995.