Jean Marie McCullum Donovan Obituary (1930 - 2011)

PORTLAND - Jean Marie McCullum Donovan, 81, of Portland died peacefully December 28, 2011 at Maine Medical Center with her loving family by her side. She was born May 5, 1930 in Portland, a daughter of William Edward and Mary Mildred Conley McCullum. Jean was educated locally and attended Cathedral High School and was a 1947 graduate of Portland High School. Jean is a communicant of St. Patrick's Church. She married Cornelius Joseph Donovan, III on October 26, 1957 at St. Patrick's Church and began raising her family. Prior to her marriage, she worked as a stenographer for Hartford Insurance in Connecticut. She was a homemaker while her husband was in the service. She and her children travelled with her husband to many Marine Corps duty stations including Beaufort, SC, Cherry Point, Camp Lejeune, NC, and the Marine Recruiting Center in Manchester, NH. While living in Manchester, NH, she worked at Hartford Insurance Company briefly. Jean returned to Maine in 1975 when her husband retired from the Marines. She returned to work in 1976 for Central Maine Power, until retiring in 1990. Jean was a member of American Auxiliary Post #17, Portland Eagles Club and a former member of the Irish American Club. She was predeceased by her son, Kevin L. Donovan in 1997; her son-in-law, Louis Grimaldi, III in 2003; two sisters, June Whipple, Janet Bassett, and three brothers, William, James and John McCullum. Jean is survived by her husband of Portland; her daughter, Donna D. Grimaldi of Portland; two sons, Joseph Donovan and Timothy P. Donovan, both of Portland; two sisters, Judith Fagone and her husband Joseph, Sr. of Portland, Lorraine Staszko of Cape Elizabeth; brother-in-law, M.O. Bassett of Florida. six grandchildren, Ciancia and Luigi Grimaldi, Kyle, Andrew, Alyssa and Cara Donovan. She is also survived by several nieces and nephews. Visiting hours will be held from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. on Friday, December 30th at Conroy-Tully Crawford Funeral Home, 172 State Street, Portland. Prayers will be recited at 9:15 a.m. on Saturday, December 31st at the funeral home, followed by a 10:00 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial at St. Patrick's Church, 1342 Congress Street, Portland. Interment will follow in Calvary Cemetery, South Portland. The family wishes to thank the doctors and nurses at Maine Medical Center and Seaside Nursing Home for their tender care of Jean. In lieu of flowers, donations in Jean's memory can be made to American Kidney Fund, 6110 Executive Boulevard, Suite 1010, Rockville, MD 20852-3914 or American Heart Association, 51 US Route 1, Suite M, Scarborough, Maine 04074.Online condolences may be expressed below.