In Memoriam: Kristen Donovan
Senior Patient Coordinator Kristen Donovan passed away on Thursday, March 29th. Her obituary is reprinted below.
Kristen Leigh Donovan, 30, of Brookline, MA (formerly of Milford), died Thursday, March 29, 2012 at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston after a long illness. She was surrounded by her family and fought bravely until the end. Kristen was born on May 27, 1981 in Hartford, CT., the daughter of Robert J. and June C. (Chapdelaine) Donovan.
Kristen grew up in Milford, MA and was a 1999 graduate of Milford High School where she was on the National Honor Society. She later attended Boston University. In addition to being a loving daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece, cousin, and friend, Kristen worked as a Senior Patient Coordinator at BU’s Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine. Kristen loved the beach, cooking, reading, and spending the holidays with her family. She also loved pickles, holding little babies, bad reality TV, texting, and was especially fond of her family dogs. She will forever be greatly missed, but will live on in our hearts. Her sense of humor, thoughtfulness and kindness towards others, along with her courageous and determined personality will continue to be an inspiration for all.
Besides her parents, Kristen is survived by her brother, Kevin R. Donovan of Somerville, MA; her sister Kelli A. Donovan and future brother-in-law Mark Mulcahy, both of Watertown, MA. She also leaves behind her maternal grandmother, Phyllis Chapdelaine of Northboro, MA, many aunts, uncles, cousins, and countless friends.
Kristen’s funeral will be held at 9:00 am Wednesday, April 4, 2012 from the James E. Kellett and Son Funeral Home, 21 West Street, Milford, MA followed by a mass at 10:00 am in St. Mary’s Church, Winter Street, Milford, MA. Burial will be at the family’s discretion. Calling hours will be Tuesday, April 3, 2012 from 4:00-8:00 pm. Donations may be made in Kristen’s memory to The American Heart Association, 22 Speen Street, Framingham, MA 01701 or to The New England Organ Bank, 60 First Avenue, Waltham, MA 02451.
Dean Hutter shared a message with the community over the weekend. “Kristen was a beloved member of our GSDM community who exemplified the spirit of collegiality and caring that we all value so much. She went out of her way to ensure that patients were treated with the utmost professionalism and always went above and beyond expectations to assist our students, faculty and her staff colleagues.”
Kristen was also well known for her sharp sense of humor. After recounting some stories about Kristen’s particular brand of humor, Lori Brady shared that “When I relayed the sad news about Kristen passing to Dr. Guarente, the first thing he said was that ‘Heaven just got a new angel.’ I would add that the new angel is a witty one at that.”
Grief counseling services were made available today in the Dean’s Conference Room. In addition, the Faculty and Staff Assistance Office (FSAO) can provide services on the medical campus to any employee who would like assistance coping with this loss. They can be reached by phone at 617-353-5381 or email fsao@bu.edu.