Monsignor Timothy J. O'Donovan, 91

Monsignor Timothy J. O'Donovan, 91, passed away at his home in Sandpoint, Idaho, on Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2014.

Timothy John was born on Feb. 6, 1923, in Oakland, Calif., the second son of two Irish immigrants, Patrick and Anne O'Donovan. Both parents from County Cork came to the Bay area in 1907.

After graduating from St. Joseph's High School in Alameda, Calif., Timothy spent one year at the University of San Francisco before deciding to become a priest. He transferred to the Mission San Luis Rey College to earn his bachelor's degree in philosophy, and later completed theology at Mission Santa Barbara.

Ordained to the Priesthood as a Franciscan on Dec. 27, 1949, Father Malachy John (as he was known then) served the people as an assistant pastor at St. Francis Church, Sacramento; Immaculate Conception, San Diego; St. Mary's Church, Phoenix; San Rogue Church, Santa Barbara; and St. Paschal's Church, Spokane Valley.

In 1957, Father arrived in Boise to serve St. John's Cathedral and St. Mary's Church, Caldwell, as a Diocesan Priest. In 1958, Father Timothy was assigned to Post Falls, Rathdrum and Spirit Lake, and remained there until 1971 when he was appointed pastor of St. Joseph's in Sandpoint and Sacred Heart in Clark Fork. He remained there until 1983 when he went on to Priest River and Wallace. He retired in 1987 to Hope, Idaho, and served at Sacred Heart in Clark Fork for 19 years until retiring a second time in 2006. Father Timothy was invested with the honor of Monsignor by Bishop Michael Driscoll on March 1, 2008.

He was noted for his Irish sense of humor. He always told a couple of jokes after each service, sending his parishioners away with a light heart and a spiritual message.

Monsignor Timothy was preceded in death by his parents and one brother. He is survived by all first cousins: Bernard O'Donovan of Cork City, Rita Driscoll and Joseph Burke of Dublin, and Clare Caroll of Waterford - all of Ireland; Ivy O'Donovan of Usk, South Wales, Rosaleen Kelly of Orinda, Calif., and the Jim Potts family of San Francisco.

Services will be held for Monsignor Timothy J. O'Dovovan at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 25, at St. Joseph's Catholic Church with Father Dennis C. Day officiating a Mass of Christian Burial. Recitation of the rosary at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 24, at the church with Father Carlos Perez presiding.

For those parishioners of St. Ann's in Bonners Ferry, there will be a special recitation of the rosary with the body present at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 23.

Family and friends are invited to sign Monsignor Tim's online guest book at www.coffeltfuneral.com.

Monsignor Timothy will always be remembered for his quick wit, the sharpness of his mind, his gentle spirit, his little hats, and the tremendous love he shared for his parishioners and friends. Truly, he was the "Servus Servorum Dei" of North Idaho.

Arrangements are under the care of Coffelt Funeral Service.