Nancy Joan Donovan

Nancy Donovan passed away, at the age of 82, on July 8, 2021, at her home.

Nancy Joan Baird was born to Wilfred J. Baird and Edna Aarnio in Astoria. She joined her brother, Steve Baird, in the family, in Svensen, where they resided most of her life.

After the passing of her parents, she was a full-time caretaker of her brother, Steve, until his passing in 2014.

During her younger years, Nancy was active in 4-H and sewed much of her own wardrobe. Nancy graduated from Knappa High School in 1957 and moved to Portland with classmates Gayle, Glenda and Mary to live in the big city.

She worked briefly as a waitress in a cafe near the Lloyd Center before moving to Knappa, where she resided until her death.

She worked for City Transfer as a secretary, then the Wickiup Water District as a bookkeeper. She then went on to work for Bornstein Seafoods as a fish fileter. Nancy also worked for the Ocean Foods cannery. Nancy was also a meat wrapper for Elton Anderson.

Nancy coached girls softball, was “room mom” for her kids in grade school, led 4-H groups, hosted summer exchange students from Japan and attended many Knappa High School sporting events supporting her children and grandchildren.

Many of her children’s friends would say they always had a fun adventure at Nancy’s house, swimming in the pool, playing in the mud pond and barn and riding horses.

Nancy was multitalented and enthusiastic about home decorating. She had many hobbies, as well, selling her wood crafts at holiday craft shows. She was a baker, cake decorator, seamstress and quilter.

She took up reupholstery, and could knit and crochet. Most recently she could be found behind her sewing machine, making bowl holders for senior lunches and beautiful fabric masks for anyone who needed them.

She was a gardener, raising vegetables and flowers. She was an animal lover, and leaves behind her five cats and her backyard deer, elk and bird friends.

Other hobbies included swimming with her gal pals at the Astoria pool and attending senior lunches and activities at the Svensen Grange, and she made many friendships at both.

Nancy is survived by her four daughters, Denise (Chet), Diana (Lonnie), Linda (Ron) and Lorene (Shawn), as well as bonus children Jim (Cheryl), Pat (Myong), Mike (Stacee), Candy (Allen), Denise (Tom), Cyndy (Rod) and Suzy (Bill).

Nancy leaves behind many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, whom she loved and lived for until her last days.

Nancy is preceded in death by her parents, John “Jukka” and Edna Baird; twin sons, David and Desmond Ziak; husband, Don Donovan; brother, Steve Baird; and granddaughters, Lexie Strain and Whitney “Toad” Ferguson.

There will be a celebration of life at 1 p.m. on Saturday at the Svensen-Wickiup Grange, 92683 Svensen Market Road in Astoria.