Obituary of Roland George Donovan

Roland G. "Rollie" Donovan, 92, of Iowa City, a lifelong area farmer, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on Friday, July 3, 2026, at Cedar Manor Care Center in Tipton.

Family and friends are invited to celebrate Rolie's life beginning at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 19th, at the Knights of Columbus Family Center, 4776 American Legion Road, Iowa City. Private family graveside services will be held at St. Joseph Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Croix Hospice of Cedar Rapids in Rollie's memory. To share a memory or offer condolences, please visit Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service.

Roland George Donovan was born on January 16, 1934, in Iowa City, the son of George and Nellie (Dewey) Donovan. Following his high school graduation, he enlisted in the United States Navy, proudly serving his country for four years. After his military service, he continued his lifelong commitment to fellow veterans and his community through more than 50 years of membership in both the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion.

On June 8, 1957, Rollie married the love of his life, Darlene Vrchoticky, at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Iowa City. Together they built a life on their family farm east of Iowa City, where they raised their children, welcomed generations of family, and created countless cherished memories. Farming wasn't simply Rollie's occupation—it was his passion. He found great satisfaction in working the land while surrounded by the people he loved most.

Rollie treasured time with his family, whether traveling together or enjoying fishing adventures. He was known for his quick wit and wonderful sense of humor. If you spent any time with Rollie, you knew a joke was never far away. His legendary "foot, foot, foot" joke even gained national attention after Johnny Carson shared it on The Tonight Show, crediting an Iowa farmer for the memorable punchline.

Those left to cherish Rollie’s memory include his children, Stan Donovan (Vicki) and Teresa Loikets (Bill); his grandchildren, Tera Rees (Pat), Kelly Donovan (Tim), Tom Donovan (Misti), Chad Loikets (Sophie), and Lindsay Robinson (Chris); and his ten great-grandchildren, Alex Rees, Donovan Rees, Hunter VanDerHorst, Elric Robinson, Lumen Robinson, Faebyl Robinson, Liam Loikets, Emma Loikets, Chloe Donovan, and Ryan Donovan. He is also survived by his sisters, Susan Reese (Jim), Rosemary Partridge (DG), and Kathy Donovan; his brother, Pat Donovan (Jackie); sisters-in-law, Sharon Krenz (Gaylen), Pat Litton (Roger), Carol Vrchoticky, Ruth Vrchoticky, and Joan Vrchoticky; and brothers-in-law, Bruce Vrchoticky (Mary), Ed Vrchoticky (Donna), and Rodney Vrchoticky.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Darlene; his parents, George and Nellie Donovan; his sisters, Betty Patten (Alan) and Wilma Denneny (Tom); his parents-in-law, Bob and Hazel Vrchoticky; his sisters-in-law, Melva Swartzendruber (Ken) and Marilyn Nost (Harlan); and his brothers-in-law, Jerry, Darrell, Joe, Bob and Allen Vrchoticky.

Rollie's family extends their heartfelt gratitude to the compassionate staff at Cedar Manor Care Center for the exceptional care, kindness, and support they provided to Rollie and his family throughout his time there.