Jack Donovan
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Published in January 2026
Jack Donovan, age 72, of Holliston, MA, passed on January 15 at home after a courageous battle with ALS. Jack leaves behind his wife of 39 years, Carol O’Brien Donovan; son Ryan, and fiancée, Maggie Chan; son Alex and wife Beth; three-week-old granddaughter Mae, who truly brought a smile to his face; and many niece/nephews, cousins, and dear friends. He was predeceased by his parents, Peg (Margaret Bresnahan) and Joe (John) Donovan, and his sister, Kathleen O’Connell.
Born in Lawrence, Jack attended Central Catholic High School and later received a Master of Science in Civil Engineering from Northeastern University and a Master of Business Administration from Babson College. He was also especially proud to have achieved his goal of receiving the Professional Engineer certification. In addition to working at several private engineering firms, Jack enjoyed his time working on The Big Dig, at the MBTA, and teaching at Wentworth Institute of Technology. He also served on the Holliston Planning Board for several years. Jack always looked forward to spending summers in Salisbury Beach, playing forty-fives, body surfing, and drinking G&Ts with family and friends. A lover of golf, tennis, skiing, and music, he played guitar throughout his life, most notably as lead singer of the band JetLag. He loved all things horseracing and Boston sports and always looked forward to a deep playoff run.
Visitation will be held on Friday, January 23rd, from 10:00-11:45 a.m. at Chesmore Funeral Home of Holliston, 854 Washington St. A funeral home service will follow at 12 pm. In lieu of flowers to honor Jack’s memory, please consider making a donation to Compassionate Care ALS, ccals.org, a truly wonderful organization that helped Jack and his family through a very tough year.