Donovan Family Funeral Homes & Cremation Services

01/12/2026

In Loving Memory of Julie ((Hennessy)) Winebrenner

On Jan 7, 2026, our family lost a great love, Julie Ann Winebrenner. She was the daughter of Terrance and Patricia Hennessy. She had three sisters, Susan, Amy, and Colleen. She relished her different relationships with each of them. Then there was her brother, Terry. Her love for him was very deep and protective. She had a special bond with Lisa, whom she never considered anything other than a sister. In fact, her love for her siblings stretched to their spouses equally. She never used nor knew the word in-law.

Julie’s greatest gift was love. She felt and gave that love to the depth of her soul. It started with her first love, music. Julie loved to listen loudly and to belt out tunes until the walls shook! She shared her love with her childhood and lifelong friend, Joni. They shared many adventures together and laughed through them all! She attended and graduated high school from St. Vincent-St Mary. It was there that she met some more of her life-long loves, Mary and Peggy. Once again, Julie loved and laughed through countless experiences with her girls.

She then went on to her next great love, her daughter, Emily Winebrenner. It goes without saying that Emily stole a large chunk of that amazing heart. Julie then loved Lee Kail and had the most amazing and resilient son, Samuel Kail. Julie’s love for Sam will live on in the travels they took together and the deep talks they had. She shared her love of music, humor, and kindness with him. He exudes the best of her.

Julie was very proud of starting and running her own cleaning business for many years. She was also proud to work for her nephew, Eric. Julie had tremendous pride in her many nieces, nephews, great nephews, and two grandchildren (Andrew and Riley) whose pictures she displayed around a mirror in her room. She will be greatly missed by her aunts and many cousins. Julie loved more deeply than any of us could have known, and the hole that she’s left in our hearts will forever be felt. Rest in Peace, our love.

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01/09/2026

In Loving Memory of Ruth Jane ((Votaw)) Stanley

Ruth Jane Stanley, 94, passed away January 5, 2026. Born in Wadsworth, she lived most of her life in the Akron area.

Ruth was a manager with the west Mogadore Country Club and had also worked at the Grace Cathedral, Lawsons and owned a restaurant in Bucyrus. She was a member of Grace Cathedral where she enjoyed participating with the Sunday School and Vacation Bible School. She was a current member of Bethel Church of Tallmadge.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth Walter Stanley, Sr.; parents, Clyde and Lillian Votaw; five sisters and six brothers.

Ruth is survived by her sons, Kenneth Walter (Jill) Stanley, Jr. of Colorado, Charles William (Joy) Stanley of Munroe Falls; seven grandchildren and ten great grandchildren; many nieces, nephews, friends, and her entire church family.

Visitation will be Saturday, January 17, 2026 from 10:00 until 11:00 a.m. at Donovan Funeral Home, 17 Southwest Ave. Tallmadge, OH 44278.

Funeral service will follow at 11:00 a.m. with Pastor Phil Anderson officiating.

Private interment will be at Hillside Memorial Gardens at a later date.

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01/08/2026

In Loving Memory of José Rafael Brenes II

José Rafael Brenes II, 62, passed away January 7, 2026. Born in Fort Moore, Georgia, he had lived in Akron for the past 30 years.

José retired as a machinist at Sattler Machine Products, Inc. and was a member of Living Water Ministries officiated by Pastor Shelby Gene Mullins. Jose volunteered for 20 years as a Scout Master for Troop 559 and was a wrestling coach at Waterloo Schools. He loved the scouts and coaching and still volunteered up until he passed.

He was preceded in death by his parents, José Rafael Brenes I and Sandra Seyfarth; son, José Rafael Brenes III; and brother, Ricardo Brenes.

José is survived by his wife, Romie Jean Brenes; son, Brandon Carlos Brenes; step father, Kenneth Seyfarth; step children, Ashley (Jared) Monroe, Celina Esperanza Martinez, and Romey Ismael (Karen) Martinez; brothers, Juan (Wanita) Brenes and Nicholas Seyfarth; step brother, Kenneth Seyfarth; and many nieces, nephews, and friends.

Visitation will be Saturday, January 17, 2026, from 12:00 until 3:00 p.m. at the Donovan Funeral Home, 17 Southwest Ave. Tallmadge, OH 44278.

Funeral service will follow at 3:00 p.m. with Pastor Russ Bowman officiating.

Interment will be at Hillside Memorial Gardens on Monday, January 19, 2026 at 12:00 p.m.

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01/07/2026

In Loving Memory of Lawrence William Kovalcik

Lawrence Kovalcik, 91, passed away January 6, 2026. Born in East Vandergrift, Pennsylvania, he lived most of his life in the Tallmadge and the Akron North Hill area.

Lawrence served in the U.S. Marine Corps and retired from TRW Inc as a Data Processing Auditor. He was a member of Our Lady of Victory Church. Lawrence enjoyed fishing, hunting, boating and traveling the world. He was a Ward 1 Tallmadge Councilman. In his retirement he enjoyed woodworking, spending time with his family and enjoying fine wine.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Joan; sister, Catherine and brother, John “Sonny”.

Lawrence is survived by his daughter, Paulette (Peter) Grant of Sandusky; sons, Lawrence (Stephanie) Kovalcik of Wellington and Paul (Renee) Kovalcik of Euclid; grandchildren, Elizabeth, Madeline, Abigail, David, Kaitlyn, Cara, Andrew, Elaina, sisters, Regina and Martha; brother, Joseph; and many nieces, nephews and friends.

Visitation will be 12:00 until 3:00 p.m., Sunday, January 11, 2026 at the Donovan Funeral Home, 17 Southwest Ave., (On the Historic Tallmadge Circle).

Mass of Christian burial will be 11:00 a.m., Monday, January 12, 2026 at Our Lady of Victory Church, 73 North Ave., Tallmadge with Rev. Michael Williamson officiating.

Interment will be at the Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the IBH – Addiction Recovery, 3445 S. Main Street, Akron OH 44319.

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01/06/2026

In Loving Memory of Sally A ((Smith)) Holodnak

Sally A. Holodnak, 80, passed away January 2, 2025. Born in Canton, Ohio, she lived most of her life in Brimfield.

Sally enjoyed spending time with her family and friends, traveling and visiting the beach.

She is preceded in death by her husband of 56 years, Dennis; and parents, Paul and Dorothy Smith.

Sally is survived by her son, Dennis (Amanda) Holodnak, and many friends.

Visitation will be Saturday, January 10, 2026 from 10:00 until 11:00 a.m. at Donovan Funeral Home, 17 Southwest Ave. Tallmadge, OH 44278.

Funeral service will follow at 11:00 a.m. at the funeral home.

Interment will be at Tallmadge Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, 223 W. Jackson Blvd., Suite 350, Chicago, IL 60606. https://www.pulmonaryfibrosis.org

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01/05/2026

In Loving Memory of Shirley A ((Dean)) Boatman

Shirey A, Boatman, 80, passed away December 15, 2025. Born in New Castle, Pennsylvania on December 4, 1945, she had lived in Austintown, Florida and Arizona before moving to Ravenna five years ago.

Shirley was an office manager for Dr. Ventresco for over 30 years. She enjoyed gambling and playing bingo.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Jack; brothers, John Dean and Edward Dean.

Shirley is survived by her daughters, Rhonda Boatman, Crystal (Charles) Clang and Lisa Boatman; grandchildren, Sarah Brown, David Boatman, Richard Brown Jr.; great grandchild, Jake Roegge; sister, Donna Bartlett of Harlandsburg, PA; brothers, Jerry (Joyce) Dean and Samuel Dean both of New Castle, PA; many nieces, nephews and friends.

Per her wishes, there will be no services.

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01/05/2026

In Loving Memory of Stephen Edmond Taylor

Stephen Edmond Taylor, age 71, of Munroe Falls, passed away unexpectedly on January 1, 2026.

Steve was born in Akron, Ohio, and grew up in Cuyahoga Falls. After marrying the love of his life, Shelley, he made Munroe Falls his home, where they built a life filled with family, faith, and lasting memories. Steve retired in August 2024 after many dedicated years with Hasenstab Architects. He was a devoted member of St. Eugene Church and lived his life guided by faith, kindness, and integrity.

An avid outdoorsman, Steve found joy in hunting, fishing, traveling and photography, often capturing the beauty of nature through his lens. Above all else, he treasured time with his family. Known lovingly as “Pa” to all his grandchildren—and even their friends—Steve was a proud and devoted grandfather who never missed an opportunity to watch them play sports, faithfully cheering them on at every activity. He also enjoyed Cleveland sports, with the Cleveland Guardians holding a special place in his heart, especially the time he spent attending games with his daughter and grandchildren, creating memories he cherished deeply.

Steve was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 45 years, Shelley Taylor, who passed away in June 2023. They are now reunited once again. He was also preceded in death by his parents, Alton and Julia Taylor.

He is survived by his beloved daughter, Jaclyn (Shane) Golden; his grandchildren, Nicholas, McKenna (Robert), Alexander (Hailey), and Olivia; his sister, Jeanne (William) Jasso; his brothers, Alton and Charles Taylor; his niece, Megan (Max); great-nephew Kai and great-niece Poppy; niece Shannon Taylor; along with many other nieces, nephews, and lifelong friends who will deeply miss him.

Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 8, 2026, at Donovan Funeral Home, located at 17 Southwest Avenue, Tallmadge, on the Historic Tallmadge Circle. A memorial service will follow at 6:00 p.m., with Rev. Jim Case officiating. Interment will take place at Tallmadge Cemetery.

Steve will be remembered for his quiet strength, deep love for his family, and the steady presence he offered to all who knew him.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Steve’s memory to:

American Cancer Society – National, P.O. Box 6704 Hagerstown, MD 21741 1-800-227-2345 https://donate3.cancer.org/

or

Alpha-1 Foundation, 3300 Ponce de Leon, Coral Gables, FL 33134, 1-305-567-9888, https://www.alpha1.org/

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12/31/2025

In Loving Memory of Sarah ((Sipe)) Hagenbush

Sarah Hagenbush, age 91, passed away peacefully on December 26, 2025. She was born in Akron, Ohio, and lived most of her life in the Akron and Tallmadge area.

Sarah was a devoted member of The Chapel. A proud homemaker, she was well known for her cooking and baking, which she generously shared with family and friends. She was an avid supporter of her boys in wrestling and took great joy in attending the activities of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Sarah was also a cherished member of the “Golden Girls,” her high school friends, and looked forward to their monthly dinners together. Above all, she loved sitting in front of her home on Strecker Drive, watching the animals and birds that brought her so much peace.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Frank Hagenbush; her son, Don Hagenbush, and his wife, Patricia; her mother, Margaret Sipe; three sisters; and six brothers.

Sarah is survived by her sons, Jon (Stephanie) Hagenbush of Norton and Jim (Kim) Hagenbush of North Carolina; seven grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

The family would like to thank the staff of Maplewood Assisted Living of Cuyahoga Falls and Crossroads Hospice for their loving care and compassion.

Private services will be held at the convenience of the family.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

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12/26/2025

In Loving Memory of Kay F. Serian

Kay F. Serian, 88, passed away December 23, 2025. Born in Adrian, Pennsylvania, she lived most of her life in the Akron area.

Kay was a graduate of East Brady High School and was a member of Visitation of Mary Parish. She had worked as a cashier at Acme and at La Pizza. She enjoyed gardening, flowers, baking, cooking, walking and her Pittsburgh Steelers. Kay loved to collect teacups and pennies. She never met a stranger and was an avid caller on WNIR talk of Akron for many years. The callers loved to hear her conversations.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 49 years, Joseph Serian; parents, Lloyd and Nancy Alexander; sisters, Margaret Mitchell and Amanda Mauthe; and five brothers-in-law.

Kay is survived by her daughter, Marianne (Richard) of Tallmadge; sons, Mark Serian of Akron and Paul Serian of Cuyahoga Falls; grandchildren, Richard, Amanda, Kelsey, Regan and Melissa; and four great grandsons; sisters, Arlene Scholl, Nancy Passarelli, Betsy Garmong; sister-in-law, Joanne Stevic; many nieces, nephews and friends.

The family would like to thank her neighbor and special friend Becky Farrell for her friendship and care.

Visitation will be 5:00 until 8:00 p.m., Monday December 29, 2025 at the Donovan Funeral Home, 17 Southeast Ave. (On the Historic Tallmadge Circle).

Mass of the Christian Burial will be at Visitation of Mary; 55 Broad Street on Tuesday December 30, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. Father B. Dismas officiating.

Internment at Tallmadge Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the American Diabetes Association.

P.O Box 7023 Merrifield, VA 22116

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12/23/2025

In Loving Memory of John A. Huffman

John Huffman went to be with the Lord on December 19 at the age of 92.

Born to Keith and Emma Huffman, in Flushing Ohio, January 24, 1933, John grew up with a strong sense of family, faith and hard work that shaped the man he became.

John was a devoted husband to Jane, his wife of 65 years, together they built a life marked by faith, love, and steady devotion. You rarely saw one without the other. They loved to travel and especially going on cruises.

After completing studies at The Elliott School of Business, John spent over 35 years at Goodyear working in various accounting positions, many years with perfect attendance.

He was raised in the Disciples of Church faith, spent many years singing in choirs and a substitute organist when needed. He served two years in the Army stationed in Fort Knox where he was a Pastor's Assistant. After moving to Tallmadge, he became an active member of The First Congregational Church, singing in the choir and serving on various Boards, and was a long time Stephen Minister always reaching out to those who needed comfort and care.

John was devoted to son, Scott. Always attending Band events and various other activities Scott was involved in.

He will be remembered as a man of character, kindness, and his unwavering love of the Lord.

A memorial service will be held at 1:00 PM Sunday, January 11 at The First Congregational Church, 85 Heritage Drive, Tallmadge with Rev. Daniel Doty and Rev Dr John Schluep officiating.

Visitation will begin at 12 noon. Memorial contributions may be made to the church's music department

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12/22/2025

In Loving Memory of Ronald L Burkhart

Ronald L. Burkhart, 73, passed away December 21, 2025, at home after a lengthy battle with cancer. Born in Canton, he travelled many years for work and recently returning to the Tallmadge area, where he resided with his daughter, Betsy.

Ron retired from The City of Canton in the Maintenance and Millwright department. He enjoyed hunting and loved spending time with his family.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Diane; parents, Frederick and Viola Burkhart; brothers, Kenneth, Frederick Jr., James.

Ron is survived by his daughter, Betsy Blackiston of Tallmadge; grandchildren, Tyler (Melissa) Blackiston, Joshua (Briley) Blackiston, Zachary (Isabella) Blackiston; great grandchildren, Blake, Xaden, Georgia; sisters, Darlene (Jim) Cantley, Donna Daugherty, Janet (Dale) Scott; brothers, Larry (Theresa), John (Teresa), Lenny (Diane), Carl; sister in law, Nancy Burkhart; many nieces, nephews and friends.

Visitation will be 10:00 until 12:00 p.m. Saturday, December 27, 2025 at the Donovan Funeral Home, 17 Southwest Ave. (On the Historic Tallmadge Circle).

Funeral service will follow visitation at the funeral home at 12:00 p.m. with Rev. Jim Case officiating,

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12/12/2025

In Loving Memory of C. David Cox

C David Cox, 85, passed away December 11, 2025. Born in Akron, he lived most of his life in Cuyahoga Falls.

David served in the National Guard and had his own State Farm Agency for 50 years. He enjoyed playing tennis, boating, jet skiing, snowmobiling, motorcycles and cars.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Clarence and Eleana Cox and brother, Douglas Cox.

David is survived by his wife, Cheryl, whom he loved very much; stepdaughter, Rachael Jagger of Canton; stepsons, David (Denise) Jagger of Uniontown, James (Stephanie) Yost of Biglerville, PA; 12 grandchildren, 18 great grandchildren and 1 great great-grandchild; brother, Gary (Marylou) Cox of Mogadore; nieces, Susan Cox and Lesa Stott; nephew, Christopher Cox; his cat, Summer; his dog, Simba; and many many friends.

Visitation will be 4:00 until 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, December 16, 2025 at the Donovan Funeral Home, 17 Southwest Ave. (On the Historic Tallmadge Circle) and 10:00 until 11:00 a.m., Wednesday at the church.

Funeral service will be 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, December 17, 2025 at the Evermore Community Church, 1470 Smith Kramer St. NE, Hartville with Pastor Ross Miller officiating. There will be a livestream on the Evermore Community Church website: https://www.evermorecc.org.

Interment will be at Chestnut Hill Memorial Park.