John Cyril Donovan

John Cyril Donovan passed away October 21, 2025. He was born May 12, 1948, in Binghamton, NY. John graduated with a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from Auburn University, and a M.S. in Systems Engineering from the University of Alabama. In 1969, John met the love of his life, Jennifer, beginning what would become 56 years of love and happiness between the two (or as he used to say, "1,773,633,024 seconds with the same woman!").

John began his 50-year air defense career at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, AL. During this time, he was also an intelligence analyst in the Alabama Air National Guard. In 1986, John launched his career with Raytheon air defense systems in El Paso, TX. He was integral in the creation and application of the Patriot missile defense system. Until John's retirement in 2013, he worked with Raytheon's Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) program, which innovated and evolved Patriot into one of the most reliable and successful military defense systems in the world.

There was never a dad joke too corny nor a friend or stranger he could not make smile, fulfilling his life mottos of, "Always leave them laughing!" and "Have fun!". John's real mission in life was to always celebrate and enjoy time with his family and friends, and, hopefully, leave this world a better place. College Football Saturdays were his happy place, cheering on his beloved Auburn Tigers ("Just win by one, babes!"), along with all of the family teams.

"The service you do for others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth." - Muhammad Ali

During his retirement, John volunteered with the Rotary Club of El Paso. He provided leadership lessons and experiences for the youth of El Paso through the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) program. John also volunteered with the Sun Bowl Fan Fiesta committee, earning the prestigious Volunteer of the Year in 2019. He was a longtime member and usher at Queen of Peace Catholic Church.

John was preceded in death by his parents (Shirley and Jim Donovan) and siblings (Kathy, Jim, and Tom Donovan). He is survived by his wife (Jennifer Donovan), siblings (Bill Donovan and Nancy Montgomery), children (Angel Hamilton and Andrew Donovan), son-in-law (Michael Hamilton), grandchildren (Emma and Zachary Hamilton), and many nieces and nephews.

Donations may be made in the name of John Donovan to the Rotary Club of El Paso for the RYLA program (https://rotaryelpaso.org/page/ryla/).

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