Audrey Donovan, formerly of Glastonbury, passed away in Manchester on May 28, 2011, after a long illness. She was 91. Daughter of Francis and Estelle Wild, Audrey was born in St. Louis. After graduating from high school, she worked in radio performing weekly dramas, then worked at 7-Up and Shell Oil Company as a legal secretary. She met the love of her life, the late Kevin Donovan, on a blind date when he was stationed in St. Louis during the war. After they married, they moved to Glastonbury and started Kevin Donovan Films. In the early years of this partnership, Audrey served as secretary at the same time as she raised their four children. Although work never really stopped for this home-based business, Audrey always found time for the children. Her children and grandchildren fondly recall her bedtime readings and her love of words. After her children were grown, Audrey had more time for the business, and wrote scripts for several educational filmstrips. She later recalled, that was the moment "I opened the door to writing and found a new life." Audrey and her husband were active in St. Dunstan's, and helped with the founding of the new parish. After retirement, they built a vacation home in southern Spain, and took on the Spanish language. Audrey continued to write. In later years, she belonged to a writers group, and in 1993 worked on the script for Glastonbury's 300th anniversary pageant. Friends will remember her for her graciousness, warm smile, and the sparkle in her eyes. Audrey is survived by her sister, Marion Buck of Grass Valley, CA; her son Kevin Donovan and wife Queta of Newtown, CT; daughter Jemison Donovan and husband Emilio Martin-Pintado of Toledo, Spain; daughter Kathleen Donovan and husband Richard Stephen of Natick, MA; son Brian Donovan of Manchester, CT; grandson Kevin Donovan and wife Jenna; granddaughter Sister Ki Maria DML; and grandson Daniel Martin-Pintado. Friends and family are invited to a Funeral Mass on Wednesday, (June 1, 2011) at 10 a.m. at St. Dunstan Church in Glastonbury. Interment will be at Mt. St. Benedict Cemetery in Bloomfield, CT, and is private. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Oak Hill School, 120 Holcomb St, Hartford, CT 06112, or St. Dunstan Church, 1345 Manchester Road, Glastonbury, CT 06033.

Published in The Hartford Courant on May 31, 2011