GLOUCESTER – Donald F. Gove, 83, died peacefully at his home early Thursday morning, December 4, 2014. He was the husband of the late Renaude M. “Renée” (Jacques) Gove, who died in January of 2009. They had shared forty-five years of marriage.
Born in Gloucester on September 6, 1931, he was the son of the late John W., Sr. and Ruth M. (Silva) Gove.
Don was employed by the former Gove’s Gulf Station on Washington Street for 32 years. He became the co-owner in 1958 and remained there until 1977. He then became a plant operator for Quincy Cold Storage on the Jodrey State Fish Pier for four years. In 1980, he began working in the maintenance department of Gorton’s of Gloucester, where he remained until his retirement in 1996. Following retirement, he went on to work as a special needs monitor for CATA up until September.
He was a car enthusiast, a lifetime member of the Knights of Columbus, Council #215, the Holy Name Society, the Gloucester Fraternity Club, and a longtime communicant of the Our Lady of Good Voyage Church.
A loving and devoted husband, father and grandfather, and in his own words, was very proud of his three children.
He is survived by two daughters and sons-in-law, Charlene and William Swain of Vancouver, WA and Janice and William Kerr; a son, Donald F. Gove, Jr. all of Gloucester; five grandchildren, Jacqueline, wife of John Paradis, David Olsson, Michael Swain, Drew and Colin Kerr; three sisters, Patricia Olson, Judith Porter, Nancy, wife of Ernest Richards; a sister-in-law, Carolyn Gove; and many nieces and nephews. He was also predeceased by two brothers, John “Jack” Gove, Jr., Kenneth, and his wife Eileen Gove; and a brother-in-law, Alfred “Frenchy” Olson.
His funeral Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday morning in the Our Lady of Good Voyage Church at 11 a.m. Visiting hours will be held on Tuesday in the Pike-Grondin Funeral Home, 61 Middle Street, Gloucester from 5 - 8 p.m. Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend. Interment will be held in the Seaside Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made in his memory to the American Cancer Society, 30 Speen St., Framingham, MA 01701 (www.framingham.com/org/amcancer.htm) or the Epilepsy Foundation New England, 540 Gallivan Blvd., Boston, MA 02124.