PORTLAND — Janice Malley Hawkins-Donovan, better known in later years as Sadie Hawkins-Donovan, died on May 19, 2012.

She was born on March 31, 1927 in Newton, Mass., a daughter of James Francis and Marguerite (Burns) Malley.

She attended Newton Country Day School, Centre St., Newton, Mass. from the second grade as a day student and later as a weekly boarder when her family moved to Somersworth, N.H. in 1939. She attended high school at Kenwood-Doane-Stuart in Albany, N.Y. She was a member of the high school field hockey and lacrosse teams. In 1948, she graduated from Manhattanville College, which was then located in New York City. She majored in history, and was on the varsity field hockey and lacrosse teams and class basketball team for four years. She also was in the Glee Club for four years and served on other extracurricular committees throughout her college career. After graduation, Janice worked in Boston for the State Adoption Agency, State Planning Board and State Civil Defense Agency.

She married Edward F. Hawkins in 1952. He predeceased her in 1970. They lived in Norwood and Walpole, Mass. and Valley Cottage, N.Y. before moving to Portland in 1965. She worked for the Portland School Department for 2 1/2 years as a teacher’s assistant while taking courses at the University of Southern Maine for her teacher’s certificate. She then worked at Maine Medical Center as a social worker for 20 years, retiring in 1989. Here, she got the nickname, “Sadie,” which stayed with her for the rest of her life.

She was married to Judge Robert Donovan from 1988 until his death in 2009. They lived in Naples and later in Falmouth. They spent their winters at St. Simons Island, Ga. They both enjoyed golfing, fishing and playing bridge and cribbage. She volunteered at Naples Public Library and the Area Agency on Aging in Portland, visiting people who could no longer live in their home.

She is survived by her four children, Gerard L. Hawkins of Arlington, Va., Janice A. Hawkins of Gorham, Christopher P. Hawkins of Portland and Edward F. Hawkins of Belmont, N.H.; two stepchildren, Susan Donovan Silver of Portland and Rob Donovan of Falmouth; three grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; four step-grandchildren; and two brothers, Fr. James Malley, SJ and John Malley.

Visitation was held on Tuesday, May 22, 2012 from 4 to 6 p.m., at Conroy-Tully Crawford South Portland Chapel, 1024 Broadway, South Portland. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at 10 a.m., at Holy Martyrs Catholic Church, 266 Foreside Road, Falmouth. Interment will be at a later date at Calvary Cemetery, South Portland.

Online condolences may be expressed to the family through the Conroy-Tully Crawford Funeral Home at www.ctcrawford.com

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations made in Sadie’s name to: The Alzheimer’s Foundation (www.alzfdn.org).