Proud registered nurse
MELROSE — Nancy Marie Donovan (Hirschfeld), age 77, died at the Kaplan Family Hospice House in Danvers after a long illness on Friday, May 30. Nancy was a former long time family resident of Melrose and beloved wife of 45 years to Richard Donovan of Melrose and Tewksbury, loving and devoted mother to Erin Leone and her husband Nicholas of Tewksbury and Kerri MacDonald and her husband Timothy of South Easton. Daughter of the late William W. Hirschfeld and the late Mary Gertrude “Gert” (Noonan). Proud Nana of Brooke, Jack, Connor, Abby, Patrick and Charlotte. Loving sister of Jean Deyoung and her husband James, Jane DiMambro and her husband Louis, William Jr. and his wife Joy all of Melrose; Thomas and his wife Cecily of Winchester; Paul and his wife Shari of Medfield; Michael and his wife Patricia of Wilmington; Peter and his wife Joanne of Norwood; Joseph and his wife Elizabeth of Hampstead, NH; and Mark. Loving sister-in-law of Donna Makosky (Donovan) and her late husband Jan Z. Makosky of Winthrop. Nancy was the cherished aunt of 22 Hirschfeld and 6 Donovan nieces and nephews all of whom she loved dearly. She was blessed to have many lifelong friendships.
Nancy enjoyed relaxing with her husband and children at their condo on Lincoln, NH, going on shopping trips to North Conway and also to Burlington, Waterbury Center and Stowe lower village in VT. She looked forward to her annual trip to York Beach, ME with her mother and sisters. Nancy was also an active leader with Girl Scouts in Melrose and a member of the Incarnation Parish as a lector, a group leader in Generations of Faith and religious education.
Nancy was a proud registered nurse and caring for others was her true passion. She graduated from Holy Ghost Hospital School of Nursing and Lasell Junior College ’67 in Newton. Her nursing career started at Holy Ghost Hospital in Cambridge which was renamed Youville Rehabilitation Hospital in 1970. With a growing family, Nancy worked in a variety of nursing roles including Sancta Maria Hospital in Cambridge and Regina Cleri, a residence for retired priests in Boston’s West End.
Nancy cherished her family and always put family first. She greatly enjoyed planning large gatherings to bring her entire family together. Her loss leaves a void that can never be replaced. We will keep her in our hearts forever. The family extends their thanks and appreciation to the amazing, compassionate care given to all of us at the Kaplan Family Hospice House.
Visiting hours will be held on Sunday, June 8 from 3 to 7 p.m. at the Gately Funeral Home, 79 W. Foster St., Melrose. A funeral Mass will be held on Monday, June 9 at 10 a.m. at the Incarnation Church, 425 Upham St., Melrose. Interment to follow the Mass at Wyoming Cemetery, Melrose. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to Care Dimensions, 75 Sylvan St., Suite B-102, Danvers, MA 01923 or at caredimensions.org and/or AgeSpan, attn: Development Office, 280 Merrimack St., Suite 400, Lawrence, MA 01843 or at agespan.org. Visit gatelyfh.com.