Kathryn Donovan ~ November 2, 1928 – April 15, 2023

Katie passed away on April 15, 2023, surrounded by loved ones. She was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and as a child, her family moved often. She attended eight different schools in eight years. Her parents eventually settled in Evanston, Illinois.

Katie met her husband, Jim, while he attended the US Naval Academy. He was on his way to the west coast and stopped off overnight with Katie’s brother, Ace, who also attended the Naval Academy. Katie and Jim were married after Jim’s graduation in 1949. Because Jim was a Navy pilot, they moved every year or two, oftentimes from coast to coast. Together they had nine kids. Jim and Katie retired in South Lake Tahoe in 1973. They were both very involved in St. Theresa’s church.

Once her youngest was in school, Katie worked as a teacher’s aide at Meyers, Al Tahoe, and St. Theresa’s elementary schools. However, her passion was volunteering. She was instrumental in the early days of Bread & Broth, she was an active volunteer with Helping Hands, and she provided religious instruction at St. Theresa’s church. Her greatest joy was bringing communion to homebound parishioners and residents at Barton Skilled Nursing Facility until the COVID epidemic. She volunteered into her 90s with Bread & Broth 4 Kids.

Katie is preceded in death by her parents, Kathryn and Clark Boughton, her sisters Annie and Mary, her brother Ace, her husband, Jim, her sons Mike and Joe, her granddaughter Haley and her great-grandson Jackson. She is survived by her seven children: Mary (Bill) Bashore, Annie Fisher, Pat (Lori) Donovan, Tim (Liz) Donovan, Cathy, Terry (Steve) Cook, Maureen (Bryan) Costello. She had 22 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

Katie was an inspiration to her children. She was a fiercely independent woman. She had a passion for her faith and her family. She loved little children and enjoyed spending time with her great-grandkids. Katie lived a life of service. She often said that her life was perfect, she had no regrets, loved her husband and her children, and wouldn’t change a thing. Katie gave of herself for her entire lifetime to make this world a better place. She will be greatly missed.

A funeral mass is scheduled for Thursday, 4/20, at 11 a.m. at St. Theresa’s Church. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Bread & Broth.