Mary Doreen Donovan, 92, of Atchison, Kansas, passed away Monday, August 3, 2020 at KU Medical Center after a valiant battle with Congestive Heart Failure.

Mass of Christian burial will be at 10:30 A.M. on Saturday, August 8, 2020 at St. Benedict’s Church with Rev. Jeremy Heppler, OSB as celebrant.  Visitation with the family will be at 9:00 A.M. at St. Benedict’s Church on Saturday with a rosary recitation at 10:00 A.M.  The church will follow social distancing guidelines and mandates the wearing of masks, please.  Interment will be at Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Atchison.  In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to St. Benedict Catholic Elementary School or the Benedictine Sisters at Mount St. Scholastica Convent and may be left in care of Arensberg-Pruett Funeral Home, 208 North 5th Street, Atchison, Kansas 66002 with whom final arrangements have been entrusted to.

Doreen was born January 14, 1928 in Leavenworth, Kansas to Mary McEvoy Harris and James Harris.

Doreen attended St. Benedict’s Grade School and graduated from Mount Saint Scholastica Academy in 1946.  She attended the Mount College before working as a bookkeeper in banking for several years.  Doreen married Franklin A. Donovan at St. Benedict’s Church on July 29, 1950 and they were longtime active members of the parish.  Faith was an integral part of Doreen’s life and she had great devotion to St. Joseph.

A full time mother and homemaker, Doreen was an excellent seamstress, making two of her daughter’s wedding gowns and the dresses for the entire wedding parties.  She was also an excellent cook and was known to her grandchildren for her bright smiles, warm hugs, and delicious pies.  According to family legend, Doreen baked 17 different pies (with homemade crusts no less) one Thanksgiving when the entire family was home.  When the girls left home, Doreen occasionally worked in her husband’s podiatry practice.  She was a longtime member of the Atchison Hospital Auxiliary and an active member of the Kansas and National Podiatry Auxiliaries, holding various officer positions in all.  Doreen loved to play bridge and was able to play twice in the weeks before her passing, even placing second.  Doreen was a very active supporter of Benedictine College, especially during Football Season and the four years her youngest grandchild, Molly Schmidt, played Women’s Soccer, rarely missing a game.

Doreen is survived by her husband of 70 years, Frank Donovan (Doc), and their four daughters, Patty (Tim) Coughlon of Denver, CO; Carol (Kim) Day of Leawood, KS; Colleen (Jim) Dillingham of Bend, OR; and Diane (Mike) Schmidt of Overland Park, KS.  Each of her 12 grandchildren and 22 great grandchildren felt like they were her very favorite.

Doreen was preceded in death by her parents, her Stepmother, Lucille Banks Harris, and a brother, James Harris of Casper, WY.