Eileen “Emmy” Marie (Wallin) Donovan, 66, of Hartland, MN; formerly of Salt Lake City, UT; raised in Jerome, ID; passed away March 14, 2022, in Minnesota. Eileen was born on November 16, 1955, in Jerome, ID to John William Wallin and Martha Jean (Yowell) Wallin. She graduated from Jerome High School in 1974 and then from a Radiology Technician program in Pocatello, ID that is now a part of Idaho State University. She later moved to Salt Lake City, UT and initially worked at Primary Children’s Hospital and then for thirty years for a health services company, Optum. As successful as she was in her professional achievements, the greatest impact she made was in the individual relationships she had with those around her.
She had a great sense of humor and a quick wit. She was someone you wanted to hold onto. Someone who made it hard to say goodbye.
She had a gift for connecting with people. You wanted to be around her. She wasn’t just there, she was present. She didn’t just see things, she noticed them. She seemed to have an unlimited capacity to love others. Every brother, sister, niece, or nephew felt like they were her favorite. Every friend felt like they were a brother or a sister.
Eileen was an avid outdoor enthusiast. She loved to ski, bike, hike, and raft. She was always up for an adventure. Everything she did was done big and done well. She excelled in anything she set her mind to.
She married the love of her life, Tim Donovan, on February 14th, 2020. She is survived by him, stepsons Andrew (Rebecca) Donovan, St. George, KS and Nathaniel (Carlie) Donovan, Bloomington, MN; mother Martha Jean Wallin, Jerome, ID; brothers Craig (Carolyn), Salt Lake City UT; Dennis, Mackay, ID; Brent (Lisa), Logan, UT; Bruce (Michelle), Kennewick, WA; sister Amy (Les) Harper, Buhl, ID; and many nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, whom she loved, spoiled, and treated as if they were her own children. She was preceded in death by her father, John William Wallin.
Funeral services were held Tuesday, March 22, 2022, at All Saints Catholic Church, New Richland, MN. Interment will be held at a later date in Jerome, Idaho.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to The Sharing Place (grief support for children) in Salt Lake City (thesharingplace.org). Eileen was a volunteer there for many years and it held a very special place in her heart.