Kathleen “Kay” Donovan, former superintendent of Everett schools, 87
Special to the Independent
Kathleen “Kay” (Philbin) Donovan, a beloved former teacher and administrator in Everett and a highly respected leader in the field of education, died April 13, 2025, after a brief illness. She was 87.
Donovan served as superintendent of Everett schools in the 1980s, becoming the first female in the city’s history to hold that esteemed position. She later served as superintendent of schools in Arlington (Mass.) and York, Maine.
Mrs. Donovan, whom friends and colleagues knew as “Kay,” was revered as a trusted mentor who helped teachers advance their skills and prosper in the profession while also inspiring them with her own dedication, leadership, and diligence.
Bill Hart, current superintendent of Everett schools, knew Mrs. Donovan for more than 40 years.
“I first met her when she was superintendent in Everett,” recalled Hart. “When I was a student in a master’s degree program at Suffolk, I did a paper on female superintendents, and at the time, Kay was one of only four female superintendents in Massachusetts. The very office in which I am now in, Kay was working as superintendent here 40 years ago.”
Hart said that he appreciated Mrs. Donovan’s helpfulness and kindness throughout his career.
“She was extremely helpful to me and always very interested in me as an elected official in Everett,” said Hart. “She was very kind to me and a friend to many. She was a consummate professional and a first-class lady. She was a very good Christian. I always saw her in church and at religious events.”
Hart said when he was appointed superintendent of schools, “one of the first phone calls I received was from Kay, who called to wish me well.”
Early in her professional career, Mrs. Donovan had taught in local schools, becoming the first lay teacher at Immaculate Conception School in Everett, the school she had attended as a child.
‘A dear friend and
wonderful person’
Rosemary Hughes said she and Kay Donovan were close friends since their college days at Regis College in Weston.
“We both came from Everett, but we didn’t know each other before college because we went to different schools,” said Hughes. “Kay went to Immaculate Conception, and I went to Our Lady of Grace. She attended Matignon High School in Cambridge. I went to Mount Saint Joseph Academy in Brighton.”
The connection between the Hughes and Donovan families extends back to childhood.
“My husband, Richard Hughes, and Kay’s husband, Richard Donovan, and I all grew up in the Prattville neighborhood in Chelsea,” said Mrs. Hughes, whose home in Everett is close to the Chelsea border. “I never thought I would end up marrying my husband, but we did years later. Richard Donovan was part of that group that used to hang out in Prattville. Kay lived on the other side of Everett.”
Richard Donovan, with whom Kay Donovan shared 25 years of marriage, became a highly regarded attorney. He was part of a well-known Chelsea family.
During their freshman year at Regis College in Weston, Rosemary Hughes and Kay Philbin began their friendship.
“We became very good friends at Regis and she’s been a dear friend ever since,” said Rosemary. “She was almost like part of our family. She’s my daughter Rosemary’s godmother. Kay was a wonderful, giving person.”
Interestingly, Rosemary holds a noteworthy distinction that Kay had at Immaculate Conception as Rosemary became the first lay teacher at Our Lady of Grace School.
The two friends also worked professionally in education at Pope John XXIII High School in Everett. Rosemary was the director of development and Kay served as school president.
Rosemary said she and her children visited Kay Donovan a few weeks ago and shared stories from their 65 years of friendship.
Rosemary noted that Mrs. Donovan shared a close and beautiful relationship with her niece, Tara Philbin. “Tara was very close to Kay and helped take care of her and everything,” said Rosemary. “Interestingly, my daughter, Rosemary and Tara went to Regis together, and they’re good friends. Between Kay’s family, the Donovan family, and our family, we had a lot of connections and a lot of great times.”
Tara Philbin said, “In business, she was known as Mrs. Donovan, a force to be reckoned with – there was no better contract negotiator than Kay Donovan. Teacher unions and town and city administrators may have feared her, but they sure respected her. As an aunt, there was nobody better. We knew her as “Auntie Kay.” She was our rock. She was the glue that kept the family together. She touched so many lives in such a positive way. Losing her is a heartache that even with time, will never mend.”
A Mass of Christian Burial for Kathleen F. “Kay” Donovan will be celebrated Thursday, April 24, at 11:30 a.m. at Saint Agnes Catholic Church, 32 Medford St., Arlington.