Master Gunnery Sergeant (ret.) Michael Emory Donovan passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, May 16, 2016, at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle, from complications related to infection and heart failure.

He was born Feb. 11, 1942, in Burlington.

He grew up in Everett and joined the U.S. Marine Corps at age 17, serving his country honorably for 31 years, including two tours in Vietnam.

He met his wife Clarita Donovan in Oceanside, Calif., where they married in 1984, and helped raise three step-children as his own.

His last duty stations included Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, Calif., Camp Butler in Okinawa, Japan, and FMF Pacific Camp Smith in Honolulu, Hawaii, where he retired in 1990 as the motor transportation operations and maintenance chief and NBC defense specialist. He also retired from Sears Automotive after 13 years of service in 2004.

He was proud to be a part of the Marine Corps and continued to represent as a member of the Marine Corps League after retiring in Oak Harbor with his wife Clarita.

He was very committed to his family and was a dedicated husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather who always loved to be around his family and didn’t allow his illness to get in the way of enjoying life to the fullest.

Most patients with his condition only live 3-6 months, whereas he lived an extra seven years. This was a gift of time that he bestowed upon us.

Regardless of how he was feeling, his smile and special spirit touched those around him, which in turn gave him such an incredible will to live.

He is survived by Clarita, his wife and partner of 34 years; step-daughter Kathy Corrion; son-in-law Brian Corrion; grandchildren Hank and Gracie Corrion; step-daughter Joanne White; step-son John White; daughter Tracy Moreno; granddaughter Sara Brown; great-grandson Nathanial Brown; son Michael Donovan Jr.; cousins Ronny Smith and Tom Donovan; his sister; and his nieces.

There will be a funeral mass held in his honor at 11 a.m. Friday, June 24, 2016, at St. Augustine Catholic Church in Oak Harbor. A reception will follow the service. Final burial ceremony will be at 11:30 a.m. Monday, June 27, at Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent.