Rodolfo Donovan, son of Manuel Donovan (Bigshot) and Josefa Juarez Donovan, was called to his Eternal Rest on Thursday, August 10, 2017. He died peacefully at home after a year-long battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife of sixty-five years, Anna Maria Carrejo Donovan, five children: Rodney Robert (Cynthia) Donovan, Patrick Winslow (Sylvia) Donovan, Michael Frank, Blanca Louise, and Steven Roger (Yvette) Donovan; seven grandchildren: Anna Jean Donovan Garcia, Rodney Robert Donovan, Jr., Christie Lynn Donovan Kurtz, Jon Brant Donovan, Devon Donovan, Patrick Robert Donovan, and Michael Steven Donovan, as well as many great-grandchildren.

Rodolfo enjoyed a full life, accomplishing many things that were considered impossible for a man with many responsibilities. As a boy, he picked crops with his father and brothers around South Texas. In the Air Force, he worked as a medic at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D.C. During the 1960s, he was a leader in the 20-30 Club, making trips to Mexico and Canada to represent Laredo. He worked many jobs before deciding to go back to college in his 40s. He studied at Laredo Junior College, and then entered the Conrad Hilton School of Hotel and Restaurant Management at University of Houston. After receiving his degree and the admiration of his professors, he returned to Laredo to manage hotels. He also managed hotels and restaurants in San Marcos and Brownsville.

He retired in 1988 and returned to Laredo to care for his mother and mother-in-law. He enjoyed the company of friends and family during his life, celebrating his golden wedding anniversary in 2002. He was a great reader and movie buff. His passions were old Hollywood and Mexican cinema of the 1940s and 50s. He could tell you the history of Hollywood from the Nickelodeon days to the present. He loved being the comedy relief at social events, especially funerals. He was a devoted dog and cat lover. He was a skilled cook, and could whip you at Dominoes without even trying.

Visitation will be held from 8 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. in the Hernandez-Lopez and Sons Funeral Chapels, 800 Boston St. at San Bernardo Ave. A memorial service officiated by Deacon Gerardo "Jerry" Morales will be held at 11:30 a.m. in the  Hernandez-Lopez Funeral Home Chapel. The Committal services conclude at noon in
the Funeral Home Chapel with presentation of the United States Flag and Full Military Honors provided by the American Legion of Post 59 of Laredo Texas.