Marjorie Emery Donovan

MISSOULA – Marge Donovan died of natural causes at her apartment at The Springs of Missoula on Monday, July 29, 2013.

She is survived by her four sons, Shaun, Pat, Brian and Kevin Donovan; their wives, Trish, Sher and Indrani; and grandchildren, Michael, Colin, Maura, Emery, Peter and Ben – to whom she was known as "Marge," never grandma. She is also survived by her sister, D. A. Effertz; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Michael E. Donovan; brother, Jack Emery; and sister, Joanie Jones.

Marjorie Colbert Emery was born June 23, 1926, in Butte to Dr. Chris and Olive Emery. She graduated with honors from Girls Central High School and the University of Montana, where she was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority and Mortarboard. In 1950, she married recent UM law school graduate Mike Donovan and moved with him to Helena, where they raised a family of four boys and where she resided for the next 57 years.

Marge was a devoted wife and mother who was instrumental in the successes of her husband and sons. She was the ultimate "soccer mom" decades before the term was coined, constantly driving the family station wagon and one or more of her boys and their friends to baseball, basketball, football, track or some other practice, meeting or event, as well as to the school, the golf course, the ski hill or the lake. She served as a Cub Scout den mother for all four of her sons. Marge was a teacher, counselor, confidant, homemaker and a source of perpetual support to her family and friends. Her unconditional faith and loyalty was a fixed point of reference and reassurance in each of their lives.

During high school, Marge worked at Hennessy's department store in Butte as well as at radio station KOPR, where she was one of the youngest women in the country to be on the air. She postponed promising career opportunities to be a wife and "stay-at-home" mother. In 1963, Marge enrolled at Carroll College and later obtained a degree in education. For the next several years, she taught remedial reading at St. Helena's School and then English at Helena High School.

Few of those who met Marge fail to remember her as among the most friendly and genuine people they encountered. She had a knack for putting people at ease and making friends, several of whom she had for decades. When Marge was part of it, the conversation never lagged, particularly when the subject turned to her favorite topic: the accomplishments of her husband, sons or grandchildren. She was a keen judge of character but found something to like about nearly everyone she got to know.

Marge was voracious consumer of books, movies, television news and anything chocolate. She was always impeccably dressed and took pride in her home. She especially loved celebrating holidays and special events with her family, hosting the celebrations for many years and adding enthusiasm to them when she was a guest.

Marge was a lifelong Catholic and a very spiritual person who lived her faith all seven days of the week. She believed in the power of prayer and in miracles, as well as each person's responsibility to do their best with the talents God gave them. Her advice to, "Get back out there and show them what you can do," was often dispensed. On July 20, 1969, she quit a 25-year cigarette smoking habit saying, "If a man can walk on the moon, I can quit smoking."

Marge's funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 1, at Christ the King Catholic Church, 1400 Gerald Ave., in Missoula. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to the Michael E. Donovan Scholarship Fund – to be renamed the Mike and Marge Donovan Scholarship Fund – at Carroll College

Read Marjorie Donovan's Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.