Donovan Leroy Hand

Donovan Leroy Hand, Redondo Beach, California, passed away on March 4, 2022, of natural causes at the age of 90.  He left this world in the comfortable surroundings of the same home he bought in 1959, with his son Corey by his side.

Don (Donnie) was born on July 23, 1931, to Alferd and Mary Hand in May, Oklahoma.  Due to the Dust Bowl in Oklahoma, the family moved to Redondo Beach. Don attended Redondo Union High School, excelled at baseball, basketball and graduated Class of 1949.  He was a member of the “Senile Seahawks” and attended Seahawk sporting events until the very end of his life.  He was also a staunch Oklahoma Sooner and NASCAR fan.

After High School, Don enlisted in the United States Air Force where he honorably served at bases in New Mexico and Japan.  Returning home, Don began his career in the automotive business in which he worked until was 74.  During that time, he met Virginia K. (Whitson) of Redondo Beach.  They married and began their family.  In 1959, Don and Virginia bought their first and only home on Grant Avenue in North Redondo.  Don and Virginia raised their children  in this home and was where Virginia passed away in 2002.

Don was very active as a North Redondo Little League coach and  served as a Reserve Police Officer for the City of Hermosa Beach.  One of the things he was most proud of, was working side by side for a time with his son Corey at Bob Warren Pontiac on Pacific Coast Highway in Manhattan Beach.  He enjoyed his hobbies which consisted of woodworking, raising exotic birds and working in his yard.  He loved his succulent plants.

Family and friends were the most important things to Don.  Every weekend was spent visiting his mother’s house filled with his brothers, sister, aunts and uncles in a small house on Guadalupe Street in Redondo Beach.  Sundays were special, with an Oklahoma style fried chicken dinner and all the fixings prepared by his mother Mary.  Plenty of great times were enjoyed by the entire family.  While the adults caught up on family news in the very small living room, the many children played for hours in the front yard.  These amazingly beautiful times, accompanied by gallons of sweetened iced tea.

In his later years, Don enjoyed spending summers in Wyoming.  He loved the outdoors there, especially fishing.  Don often commented if he had known then what he knew now, he would have moved to the vast expanses and quiet of Wyoming a long time ago.  Don worked for a short time with his brother Jim on a ranch in Lancaster, California, and Don secretly wished to be a rancher or cowboy living in the countryside surrounded by horses and cows.

Don is survived by sons Kelly Hand (Sonya) of Wright, Wyoming, Corey Hand (Amy) of Long Beach, California, daughter Teresa Howard (Chris) of Coppell, Texas; seven grandchildren Drew (Flores) of Horseshoe Bend, Idaho, Kacey (Bruno) of Anaheim, California, Catherine (Nuno) of Huntington Beach, California, Cole (Howard) of Coppell, Texas, Kelly “Bo” (Hand) of Columbus Ohio, Eion (Hand) of Ault, Colorado, Wyatt (Howard) of Coppell, Texas and great grand daughter Indiana (Flores) of Horseshoe Bend, Idaho; and many nephews, nieces and cousins.

Don is preceded in death by his parents; wife of 46 years Virginia K. (Whitson), brothers Amos, Tom, Steve, Jim and sister Irene.