Obituary of Isabel Donovan

Isabel Donovan, 88, of Freehold Township passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on Friday, December 7, 2018 at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune.  Isabel was born, raised and lived in Brooklyn, NY.  She retired to Freehold Township over twenty-five years ago.  Always putting others first, she was the consummate homemaker.  Isabel also worked for A&S for over thirty years in downtown Brooklyn.  She was a true advocate of retail therapy, was a skilled seamstress and made the best rice balls.  Isabel was a devout Catholic and parishioner of the Co-Cathedral of St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church, Freehold Township.  She was a former parishioner of St. Ann’s, Sacred Heart, and St. Rose of Lima Churches in Brooklyn.  Isabel was a loving wife, adoring mother, and doting grandma and great grandma.

She was predeceased by her sister, Antoinette DeNicola and brother, Lorenzo Panzariello.  Isabel is survived by her husband of 68 years, William whom she meet walking down the street 75 years ago; her children, Doreen Femia and her husband, Gerard of the Rossville section of Staten Island, NY and Eileen Keenan of Little Silver, NJ; six grandchildren, Louis Femia of Staten Island, NY, Michael Femia and his wife, JoyceAnne of Staten Island, NY, Erin Heaslip and her husband, Adam of Hoboken, NJ, Catherine Albert and her husband, Christopher of New York City, Brian Keenan of Jersey City, NJ, and Elizabeth Keenan of New York City; three great grandchildren, Brielle, Audrielle and Michael; and many nieces, nephews, and in-laws.

A visitation will be held at the Clayton & McGirr Funeral Home, 100 Elton-Adelphia Road (Route 524), Freehold Township on Monday, December 10, 2018 from 4:00 to 8:00 PM.  Relatives and friends are invited to gather at the funeral home on Tuesday, December 11, 2018 at 9:00 AM for the procession to her 10:00 AM Funeral Mass at the Co-Cathedral of St. Robert Bellarmine, 61 Georgia Road, Freehold Township, NJ.  Interment will follow in St. Rose of Lima Catholic Cemetery, Freehold.  For those who desire memorial contributions may be made to either MS Society, NJ Metro Chapter, 1480 US Highway 9, Suite 301, Woodbridge, New Jersey 07095 or Rheumatoid Arthritis Foundation, Help Fight RA, 8815 Conroy Windermere Road, Suite 309, Orlando, FL 32835 .  For information, directions or condolence messages to the family, visit www.claytonfuneralhome.com.