On Sunday, Jan. 1, the Lord welcomed Ryan Matthew Donovan, age 40, of Fort Collins, into his heavenly home.

He was born on August 26, 1982, in LaCrosse, Wisc., to Terry and Nancy (Vian) Donovan. A lifelong follower of Jesus, he was baptized as an infant and later confirmed in the Christian faith. He attended Hudson High School, received his undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin – LaCrosse, and his master’s degree from Colorado State University.

Ryan was married to Rachel Kunz on Oct. 1, 2005, in Holmen, Wisc. They were blessed with one son, Kale, on June 18, 2009, and one daughter, Clover, on Nov. 27, 2010.

For the past fifteen years, he has taught at Colorado State University, where he received numerous awards for his teaching, including Outstanding Teacher and Outstanding Advisor Awards, Excellence in Education Award, and, as voted by his students, Favorite Teacher for five consecutive years. An incredibly gifted athlete, Ryan was an “elite class” marathoner and won the Colorado Marathon four times. He served on the board of directors of The Antioch Foundation for the past ten years, the past two, as its executive director. Ryan enjoyed running, hiking, family vacationing, carpentry, and woodworking, as well as weekly date nights with Clover. He always wanted to learn more and acquire new skills.

Ryan was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, his maternal grandfather, and his infant son, Kale. He is survived by his wife, Rachel (Kunz) Donovan; their daughter, Clover; his mother, Nancy Donovan, of Hudson, Wisc.; his father, Terry Donovan, of LaCrosse; his maternal grandmother, Betty Graack, of Waunakee, Wisc.; mother-in-law and father-in-law, Vicky and Dan Kunz, of Holmen, Wisc.; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Jessie and Sam Renneburg and their son, Ezra, of Minneapolis; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Emily and Carl Rick, and their children, Calvin, Finn, and Mabel of LaCrosse; sister-in-law, Hannah Kunz and her friend Scott Savala, of Fort Collins; and numerous other aunts, uncles, and cousins.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m., on Saturday, Jan. 14, at St. Peter Lutheran Church, 4610 Hogan Dr., Fort Collins, Pastor Joel Spaude officiating. Visitation will be Saturday from 10 a.m. -noon at the church. Live streaming will be available on the church website.

Ryan was a kind, compassionate, and amazing person who will be sorely missed, but we know we will see him again. Revelation 7:17 “For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd. He will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

Gifts and memorials may be given to: St. Peter Lutheran Church, Fort Collins, or the Ryan Donovan Memorial at Colorado State University’s Department of Health and Exercise Science at http://www.advancing.colostate.edu/RyanDonovan.