Gayle N. Donovan

Gayle Nicola Donovan, 70, passed away on Monday, August 22, 2022 in Suffolk, Virginia after a much too short battle with a rare form of soft tissue sarcoma. Hopefully, your donation will lead to cures to the type of sarcoma that took Gayle so early in life and the many other forms of sarcoma that lead to nearly 7,000 deaths in the United States each year.

If you did not know Gayle, she was a native of northern England and proudly served in the Women’s Royal Navy Service before marrying her beloved husband Walter James Donovan in 1972 in Naples, Italy. Gayle and her husband lived in Naples, Italy, Andros Island in the Bahamas, and Rota, Spain before permanently settling in Virginia in 1987.

Gayle was known for her proud British heritage, her love of cats, a good glass of wine and seeking adventure through travel. She was fortunate to have found so many great friends in the area including groups from the Portsmouth YMCA, the Mariner’s Museum and her Tuesday and Friday night crews.

Gayle was proceeded in death by her husband. Gayle was a loving mother and is survived by her son, Edward Donovan and his wife, Sherri; and her daughter, Kerry Randolph and her husband, Jason. She is also survived by her granddaughters, Cayla, Katie, Cassidy, Kelsey and Zoey; great grandchildren, Mason, Layla and Tre; brother, Glen Bishop and his wife, Adrienne; her lifelong best friend, Leni Eves and her husband, Phil; and many other friends and family. She will be truly missed by all.