John T. Donovan is the son of John and Loretta Carew Donovan. He was born on February 13, 1930, in Dubuque County, Iowa.
The Donovan family moved to Lansing, Michigan in 1940 when J. T. was 10.
J. T. married Julia “Judy” Hickey on August 12, 1950, in Lansing, Michigan.
They had three children within the first four years of their marriage:
Julia died unexpectedly in 1959 at the age of 28 years old.
J. T. rose in rank to Captain with the Lansing Fire Department.
He married Marge Sidwell in 1972.
J. T. died on May 28, 1973, at the age of 43.