Remembering George Donovan - Teacher, WWII Vet, Volunteer & Townie

East Providence mourned the passing of 96-year-old George Donovan who died on Friday May 18, 2024.  Donovan was a life-long resident of East Providence, RI where he raised six children and was known to thousands as a beloved teacher, mentor, volunteer and much more.  Donovan was a retired history teacher and media center specialist for East Providence schools.  Donovan retired from teaching at East Providence High School in 1986, after a 30-year career.  He began teaching at Central Junior High (now E.R. Martin Middle) in 1956 and after two years went to East Providence High School and remained there until retirement.  "I taught history and then finished my career as the AV (audio-visual) instructional media specialist.” He was a prior recipient of the East Providence 'Outstanding Educator' award.  “The high school had just opened when I started teaching there. It was beautiful. The best in R.I.  It was such a pleasure to work there," he said.  Donovan organized and was instrumental in the weekly assemblies held at the high school.  “They (assemblies) were informative, fun and brought the whole school together every week - twice when we had double sessions.”  After moving from teaching history, Donovan became the energetic pulse of the school’s fledgling audio-visual center.  He provided the sound and visual effects for the many music and art programs held in the 1200 seat PPAC-like school auditorium.  He introduced many innovative ideas, including a couple that were vetoed by school administration.  “Yeah, for one musical I wanted to have a performer ride a zip-line to the stage from the upper projection booth.  Administration nixed the idea.  They were probably right,” Donovan chuckled.  During a performance of ‘Grease,’ he arranged to have a car brought on the stage.  “We cleared it with the fire department once we drained the gas tank.  It was a big hit.”

Donovan was the first to bring videos of school sporting events and other activities to the community.  He would video tape games and recruit teachers and others to provide commentary.  The games would be broadcast over cable television.  He was a chairman of the East Providence Citizen’s Advisory Committee for Cable Television, and a member of the State Advisory Council for Cable TV.  He led the volunteers in videotaping City Council, School Committee, Zoning Board and many other events for public broadcast.  When he switched from teaching history to coordinating audio-visual needs, he almost single handedly retrofitted the high school for technology.  He took the few 16 mm cameras and projectors and transformed the high school’s pre-computer technology.  “We started to capitalize on the coming of cable TV in the city," he recounted. Production of holiday concerts, sporting events, public meetings and more were all part of Donovan's vision to connect the community to the schools.

Donovan was also a part time news photographer for Channel 10 television. "I worked a lot of hours, a lot of summers for Channel 10 news. It was a busy news time during the '60s and '70s. I was often assigned to cover the Nixon administration and Senators Pell and Pastore. Chafee was the Navy Secretary. I had to go to Washington DC often," Donovan recalled.

He produced training films to assist East Providence Fire Department. He has gone out on hundreds of fire and police runs to produce training films and archive footage. Most of this was done before the current availability of computers and digital technology. "I would grab my video camera and get out to a fire or disaster after monitoring the fire and police radios," he explained.  In 1962 he was named the "official photographer" of the East Providence Fire Department. It was a "no-pay" job, but Donovan spent hours helping the department in many ways. "I still have the I.D. card the Chief gave me in 1962," he liked to say.

Donovan is a World War II veteran.  With the war raging on, he and his twin brother James, left school and enlisted in the Coast Guard to help in the war effort. He saw duty in the Southwest Pacific and the North Atlantic from '45 to '48.  Donovan served on ships and islands and was a radio operator on the North Atlantic Weather and Ice Patrol.  After the war, Rhode Island had a special program for its veterans returning home, to earn their high school diploma. “We were assigned to a program of study at Central High School if we wanted to finish school. After completing the courses, we were given our diploma.”  "Later after graduating from URI, he was hired by East Providence to teach.

In retirement Donovan spent much of his time coordinating the efforts of the 'Special Signal Fire Association' of Rhode Island - also known as ‘The Canteen.  "The heavy gear worn by firefighters combined with their physical exertion causes cardiac stress and dehydration, etc.", explained Donovan. "Our canteen helps to rotate out the men for periodic rest and health checks. We provide water and energy drinks. A bowl of hot beef stew is a welcomed need to an ice-covered firefighter," he added.

When still teaching at EPHS, Donovan was a charter member and leader of the city's first task force to provide Emergency Response Planning for the schools, fire and police. School officials involved with Donovan often marveled at the amount of expertise he brought to the table. Donovan was instrumental in providing the city's first Emergency Response Plan. He led a team of school, police and fire officials which conducted unannounced drills in all schools.

George Donovan, called East Providence’s ‘Mister Rogers’ by some, was recently inducted into the East Providence High School Hall of Fame.  Whether it was leaving high school to answer his nation's call to action during World War II or teaching the young people of East Providence or helping to provide respite and training to the area's emergency responders, George Donovan was truly an extraordinary citizen and a Townie.  To thousands of admirers, he was simply a wonderful man – a beloved Townie.

(George Donovan is survived by three daughters: CDR Maureen E Davidovich, USN (ret) of Lyons, CO; Kathleen M Cournoyer of Cranston, RI; and Kristine M Gannon of Longmont, CO; and three sons: Michael J Donovan of Fairfax, VA; Stephen R Donovan of East Providence, RI; and Timothy J Donovan of Warwick, RI. He is also survived by ten grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.)