Peabody/Middleton – Attorney David D. Donovan 85, formerly of Peabody, MA and Naples, FL, beloved husband of Judith M. (Wronoski) Donovan, died Saturday, September 23, 2023 at the Encompass Health and Rehabilitation Center in Woburn surrounded by his loving family.

Born in Winchester, he was the son of the late J. Edward and Muriel E. (Crowley) Donovan. He was raised in Medford and graduated from Medford High School, Class of 1956. He earned a Bachelor's degree from Tufts University, class of 1960 where he was a brother of the Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity. He attended Boston University Law School and earned his law degree from New England Law in Boston.

An attorney in Peabody for over fifty years, David recently retired from his law firm, Harris & Donovan PC.

A resident of Middleton for the past eight years and prior to that in West Peabody, David served as Ward 6 Peabody City Councilor from 1974 to 1976. During his term of office, his finest accomplishments were supporting the land retention that would later become Brooksby Farm and the extension of sewage into West Peabody.

Aside from his professional career, David enjoyed the simpler things of life: family gatherings, vacations, marching bands, polka music and mostly following the pathways of his grandchildren’s lives and activities. Jogging, tennis, and especially golf were his sports of choice. He was an avid fan of the Red Sox and Patriots.

Friends appreciated David for his humor, his conversations, and natural ability as a story-teller. Using his new found skills with the iPhone, he found pleasure in locating friends from the past. He was very good at recalling detailed memories others had long ago forgotten.

He was a communicant at St. Agnes, Middleton/St. Rose of Lima, Topsfield and St. Leo the Great, Bonita Springs, FL. He also served as a Eucharistic Minister at the Carmelite Chapel in Peabody for many years.

In addition to his wife, with whom he shared sixty-one years of marriage, he is survived by two daughters, Dianne Donovan of Danvers and Debra Annetti and her husband, Paul of Wakefield and six grandchildren: Bryan and Kevin Church (Julia Deane), Henry (Aubrey Green), Sophia and William Paarz and Christopher Annetti. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, and friend who will be missed by all who knew him.

ARRANGEMENTS: Relatives and friends are invited to attend David’s funeral Mass which will be celebrated at the St. Rose of Lima Parish, 12 Park St., Topsfield, Saturday, October 14, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. Visiting hours at the Conway Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home, 82 Lynn St., Peabody, Friday, October 13th from 4:00 to 7:00 PM. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in his memory to www.kidneyfund.org, https://agnesandrose.org, or charity of your choice.