Elaine F. Donovan 1942 - 2024
Elaine Frances (Donovan) Blair died on August 11, 2024, after a long battle with Leukemia. She was born on September 21,1942 in Fall River, MA, the second daughter of Attorney Leo J.F. Donovan and Margaret (Martin) Donovan, both late of Swansea, MA. She was married in 1965 to James Blair in a double wedding ceremony with her sister, Maureen and Lt. Michael Schneider. Jim and Elaine raised two children, Jonathan, born 1969, and Juliet, born in 1971. Jonathan died of cancer in 2023. Juliet lives with her husband David Klein and daughter Helena, in Yorktown Heights, NY.
Elaine was a graduate of Joseph Case High School in Swansea MA and the College of New Rochelle, where she earned both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Fine and Studio Arts. She was a gifted artist, graphic designer and photographer, who, as a result of her master’s studies, discovered what became a lifelong passion for sculpture. Her works were exhibited in a national juried art show and are held in several private collections. She leaves behind an impressive body of work in alabaster, her medium of choice.
Elaine was a gifted teacher, having taught art in the Maryland, San Diego and Rhode Island public schools before working in the banking sector at Chase Manhattan and People’s Westchester Banks. She also served as Director of Health Education, Marketing and Public Relations at the Ossining Open Door and as the Artist-In-Residence and public relations team member at the Ossining Public Library.
A fifty-five-year resident of Ossining, she was active in community affairs, having served on the boards of IFCA, the Ossining Children’s Center, the Vestry of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and various other civic and arts organizations. She was also active in the United Ossining Party as well as various volunteer committees in Central Beach Rhode Island where she and her husband have a summer home. She was co-president of the Roosevelt School PTA and on the board of the Claremont School PTA. She was elected to the Ossining School Board in 1981 during which time the “Ossining Plan” that combined all students by grade was adopted. For her community and artistic achievements, she received the Ursula Laurus Citation from her alma mater in 2004.
Elaine was proud of her Irish and New England heritage. She loved to read, travel, swim and play tennis. She was an effective, purpose-driven, creative individual, and an exuberant and devoted grandparent to Helena. A kind and generous person with a ready laugh and an easy-going personality, Elaine had a wide circle of friends and relatives. She is survived by James Blair, her husband of 59 years, daughter Juliet (David Klein), granddaughter Helena, sister Maureen Schneider (Michael), sister-in-law, Deborah Kamins (Mitchell) and many cousins, nieces and nephews. She will be sorely missed.
A celebration of Elaine’s life will be held on Saturday, August 24, 2024, at 11:00 AM at the St. Paul’s campus of Grace Episcopal Church, 40 Ganung Dr. Ossining NY. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to the Ossining Children’s Center, 32 State St., Ossining, NY 10562 or www.ossiningchildrenscenter.org. Services provided by John G. Crawford Memorial Services, LLC.