Thomas "Tom" Zay Donovan

Thomas “Tom” Zay Donovan, Sr., 90, passed away peacefully on February 21, 2026. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 63 years, Eileen. Tom is survived by their three children, Carol Lowery (Bob), Tom Donovan Jr. (Kimberley), and Patrick Donovan; as well as his granddaughter, Catherine “Cassie” Lowery (Jim Newman).

Born on January 8, 1936, in St. Louis, Missouri, Tom grew up with a lifelong love of the St. Louis Cardinals and a passion for playing the trombone. He earned a music scholarship to Truman State University, where he was a member of Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity and graduated with a degree in mathematics. He later completed multiple postgraduate degrees, including programs at UCLA, Western Michigan University, and The Ohio State University.

After graduation, Tom served in the U.S. Army, where he was first introduced to computers—an interest that would go on to shape his career. Following brief roles in the civilian workforce, he joined the U.S. Department of Defense, where he spent the remainder of his professional life.

Tom married Eileen in 1959, and their life together was filled with moves in support of his career. They began with three months at Fort Lee in Petersburg, Virginia, followed by relocations to St. Louis, Missouri; Toledo, Ohio; and Washington, D.C. They then moved to Battle Creek, Michigan, where Carol and Tom Jr. were born. After returning to St. Louis, the family welcomed Patrick. Later moves took them to Sierra Vista, Arizona; back to Michigan, and finally to Columbus, Ohio, where Tom retired from the Defense Logistics Agency as Deputy Commander of DCSC. His work included many projects that required regular travel to the Pentagon.

Tom was an avid golfer and a highly accomplished racquetball player, earning numerous trophies and plaques throughout the years including two holes in one.

After retiring, Tom and Eileen spent 23 wonderful years in Mount Dora, Florida, where Tom played golf several times a week with close friends. He also became the unofficial computer help desk for his entire subdivision, rescuing many neighbors from hard drive failures, malware takeovers, and various other major and minor technical challenges.

Above all, Tom was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and friend. He loved reading, movies, traveling, golf, computers, working out, and spending time with the people he cherished. He returned to Columbus in 2021 to be closer to his family.

A private service will be held at Resurrection Cemetery in Lewis Center, Ohio.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Hospice Foundation of America at www.hospicefoundation.org.

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