Lee was born in New York City to Elsa and Otto Schreiber. Her father was a member of the New York Stock Exchange. The family, including her late brother Peter Schreiber, settled into an idyllic farm life in Bucks County PA, where she nurtured her love of animals. The family later moved to New Canaan CT.
A fond memory of Lee’s was spending summers at her grandparent’s lakeside home in Lake George NY.
Lee attended New Canaan Country School (CT), George School (PA) and Wheaton College (MA).
Following graduation from Wheaton, she married James (Jim) Donovan in 1954. While her husband was attending Harvard Business School, she taught 5th grade in the Sharon Public Schools in MA. Teaching elementary school was one of the great joys of her life.
Her husband’s job took them to Rochester NY, where she raised her two children, Amy and Robert (Bob), and was a member of the Rochester Garden Club and the American Association of University Women.
The family transferred to Connecticut, and she and Jim returned to her childhood roots, settling in New Canaan. There, she was a tour guide with the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum in Norwalk.
Her children, Amy and Bob Donovan, remember her as an adoring and devoted mother. She was especially proud of her grandchildren, Sarah Romanelli (Bender), MSN, MPH (New York City) and James Bender (Homer AK).
In her final days, she was well cared for by Ashmanee (Dolly) Singh and Marcia Charmaine Jennings of Home Instead and supported by Care Dimensions Hospice.
There will be a private family service at J.S. Waterman Langone Chapel in Boston MA. Donations in Lee’s name can be made to ASPCA https://secure.aspca.org/team/LeeDonovan-memorial-campaign
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