Posted 04/21/06

Helen Marie Sonntag Donovan, beloved mother of six children and friend to all who met her, died at her Helena home Wednesday, April 19, 2006, of complications from pneumonia. She was 85.

Helen was born March 5, 1921, in Helena, the only daughter of Elizabeth Flacker and Robert Paul Sonntag. She had four older brothers.

Helen was an exceptional secretary and worked for the Corps of Engineers in Ft. Peck, Edmonton, Alberta, and Seattle from 1941-1944. She met the love of her life and father of her children, Thomas Francis Jeremiah Donovan, at a big Irish Catholic wedding in Anaconda. They corresponded during the war while Tom was stationed in Germany. Though she dated other soldiers and loved to go dancing with them, she was waiting for her Irishman to come home. They married July 20, 1946, in an impressive morning ceremony at St. Helena Cathedral.

The couple’s first home was a small trailer in Bozeman where Helen earned her first of many nicknames from Tom — “Settler.” While Tom attended school, Helen worked as a secretary for the dean of agriculture at MSU. Helen described those early years of their marriage as some of the best and liveliest of all. Later in life, she would be called “The Dutchman” and, of course, “Mother.”

After Tom received his teaching certificate, the couple made their home in Hamilton where they raised all six of their wonderful children — Mary Patricia Donovan, Hamilton; Kevin Francis Donovan, Woodbridge, Va.; John Joseph Donovan, Helena; Maureen Anne Kienitz, Billings; Richard Patrick Donovan, Butte; and Susan Elizabeth Bernhard, Arlington, Mass.

They played cards, bowled and went dancing with friends, then added their great love of golf to the activities they enjoyed together. Helen worked in various secretarial positions including secretary to the director at the Rocky Mountain Laboratory for 18 years.

Helen lost her Tom to a stroke on Oct. 8, 1982. She retired from the RML and worked part-time for three years as personal secretary to Dr. Edgar Ribi at Ribi Immunochem Research in Hamilton. Helen then began a journey around Montana, living in Missoula and Billings before finally returning home to her beloved Helena in October 2004. She played bridge weekly where she made many dear friends throughout Montana. The American Contract Bridge League awarded her NABC Master status in 2005.

In addition to her husband, Helen was preceded in death by her parents; and brothers, Joseph, Richard and Robert.

She is survived by her brother, Walter; all of her children and their spouses; 10 grandchildren, two great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews; and sisters-in-law, Virginia, Betty and Selma Sonntag.

A rosary and visitation will be held at Retz Funeral Chapel today, April 21, at 7 p.m. Memorial services in Helen’s honor will be held Saturday at 9 a.m. at the Cathedral of St. Helena. Helen’s children will receive visitors at Helen’s home on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., 2233 Alpine Drive, Apt. B. The family requests that memorial donations be sent to Hospice of St. Peter’s, 2475 Broadway, Helena, MT, 59601.