FARNHAM—Sherwood Winford Donovan Sr., 76, of Farnham passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his beloved family on Friday, April 14, 2023.
Sherwood was born in Oldhams to the late Harry Vernon Donovan Sr. and the late Rose Mae Bennett Donovan. He was the loving husband for 54 years of Becky Lou Hall Donovan.
Sherwood retired from the Virginia Department of Transportation as a member of the pavement marking crew. He was a member of Totuskey Baptist Church, a proud United States Army veteran and a member of Bowman Masonic Lodge 332.
To know Sherwood was to love him. He had a wonderful sense of humor and loved to get together with his friends and talk about the old days. Aside from his career with the highway department, Sherwood was a talented mechanic who enjoyed working on old cars. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, crabbing and traveling. He adored his family. He truly enjoyed his sons, grandchildren and spending time with Becky.
Left to cherish Sherwood’s memory are his wife, Becky; his sons, Sherwood “Woody” W. Donovan Jr. (Tammy) and Todd A. Donovan Sr. (Kate); his grandchildren, Zach Newman (Makayla), Collin Donovan-Newman (Janis), Hailey Donovan Lane, Sarah Donovan (Matthew), T. Allen Donovan Jr., J. Alex Donovan, Cody Donovan, Zach Kennedy (Marie), Meaghan Donovan, Allie Donovan, Lauren Donovan, Taryn Donovan and Gage Donovan; three great-grandsons and one great-granddaughter; his brother, Harold W. Donovan Sr.; his sister-in-law, Charlotte G. Donovan; many nieces and nephews; and tons of friends and former co-workers. All remember him with much fondness. Sherwood will be deeply missed.
He was predeceased by his parents Vernon and Rosie; and his brothers, Harry V. Donovan Jr., Harry L. Donovan and Vernon Ray Donovan.
A funeral service for Sherwood was held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, April 19, 2023, at Totuskey Baptist Church, with the Reverend Neale Schools officiating. Pallbearers were Woody Donovan, Todd Donovan, Zach Newman, Collin Donovan-Newman, Allen Donovan, Alex Donovan and Cody Donovan.
The family received friends one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial followed the service in the Totuskey Church Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Sherwood’s loving memory to either Totuskey Baptist Church, P.O. Box 100, Haynesville, VA 22472 or to the Shriner’s Children’s Hospital at www.lovetotherescue.org.
