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Mary Helen Donovan, 61, Bismarck, passed away Sunday, Sept. 12, 2021, in St. Alexius Medical Center ICU in the company of her children and sister. Mass of Christian burial will be held 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 16 at Church of St. Anne, 1321 Braman Ave., Bismarck.
Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Pkwy, Bismarck. A vigil will begin at 7 p.m.
Burial will be held 2 p.m. Thursday at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan.
Mary was born on April 6, 1960, in Mandan to Mike Erhardt and Eva (Geiger) Erhardt. She was raised and attended school in Center. After graduating she moved to Mandan. She met and married Calvin Eisenbraun and relocated to Bismarck. They had a son, Kyle, in 1980 and divorced in 1984. Mary started college at BSC and, after transferring to Dickinson State University graduated proudly with her degree in English/Theatre in 1991. That same year she married Kevin Donovan and relocated to Vernal, UT. Through her marriage to Kevin, she gained two sons from his previous marriage, Brandan and Brady, and they were blessed with their daughter, Michaela in 1996. Mary relocated to Bismarck in 2017 to be closer to her children and grandchildren.
Mary immersed herself completely in all of her interests. She was a lover of literature, from the great classics to modern fiction, she had a book with her everywhere and was known to pass on read romances by the box. As a cook, her kitchen was filled with delights from traditional German food for the family on Sunday to decorated cakes, desserts and candies for events and holidays. She loved film and theatre whether it was soap operas, TV series, movies or dinner theatre. She found joy in crafts including sewing, crochet, diamond art, painting, embroidery and quilting, she showered friends and loved ones with gifts lovingly made by her own hands. Mary was a devout Catholic and participated in all aspects of her faith, leading music, liturgy, eucharistic ministry and study at home. She loved to travel with Kevin, vacationing abroad and visiting family throughout the country.
Mary will be deeply missed by her husband, Kevin Donovan; sons, Kyle (Autum) Eisenbraun, Brandan (Katie) Donovan and Brady (Megan) Donovan; daughter, Michaela (Dylin) Patton; her grandchildren, Alicia, Drake, Wilhelm, Opal, Avery and Harper; her sister, Kathy (Rodney) Friesz; and her mother-in-law, Dorothy Donovan.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Mike and Eva; father-in-law, Bert Donovan; her brothers, Leonard, Calvin and Jeff; and her sister Lucretia.
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