Thank you Chris for the lovely times we had together in the last few years. I am going to miss the fun and laughter and happy times that you gave me. I still can't belive you are no longer with us now. Sleep well mate and thank you again x
Rest in peace dearest Chris. Taken from us most unexpectedly and just when there were so many lovely plans to realise. Missing you terribly but relieved you did not endure pain or suffering. All my love & prayers, Rosy xxx
Going up to Barnet nick and not seeing your beaming smile or hear you laugh will forever be weird. I remember the day you declined a lift back to Barnet from East Finchley and you cycled all the way back and I saw you with a beaming smile coming up that hill. Rest in peace Chris
To my Dear Uncle Chris, I hope that you are now at peace and enjoying lots of lie ins and teasing our other family members up there. We miss you terribly but I will try to be there for Olivia, Fiona and Rosy as much as possible. Gone far too soon. All my love.
In memororium
So sorry you are no longer with us.
Already missing my best friend more than I can say.
So many lovely memories from our time working together at East Finchley. Too many to mention here. But I will always remember your sharp wit and the laughter and your very kind heart. Just wish you'd got to join me and John Kenny in the 6th of the month club! Rest easy Chris and remembering the good times x
Rest well buddy.
From circuit classes at Hendon, OST, Canteen culture at Golders Green nick with keebabs from across the rd. Banter in the writing room and then there was that time I helped you move that huge TV from your place in Harpenden - I hadn't seen such a thing since I was kid! Drove a yellow car before they were popular - were they ever popular. We had a giggle and got the job done.
RIP brother in blue.
Rest well buddy.
From circuit classes at Hendon, OST, Canteen culture at Golders Green nick with keebabs from across the rd. Banter in the writing room and then there was that time I helped you move that huge TV from your place in Harpenden - I hadn't seen such a thing since I was kid! Drove a yellow car before they were popular - were they ever popular. We had a giggle and got the job done.
RIP brother in blue.
Until we meet again, Jim, 973sx, 597cc and now 105 on the Isle of Man 🇮🇲
Chris and I knew each other for over 30 years and had many good times - we shared a common interest in music but I didn’t share Chris’s enthusiasm for tennis or politics so this was keenly avoided! Our conversations were always punctuated with lots of laughter. We all really enjoyed spending time together with Fiona, Olivia and hearing and sharing tales on holidays, DIY and Policing.
Chris we are all going to miss you terribly.
Rest in Peace Buddy.
Love Simon, Sarah, Benjy, Charley & Scarlett xx.
RIP Chris
Dear Chris, you will be dearly missed and never forgotten. This picture was taken in late 2012 when I was a brand new PC. It didn't take long at all to bond with you. You had the biggest smile at every situation. On this occasion, I joked about you being as old as my father. I remember giving you a fright when I had left you in the office while you were still drinking your much loved early morning cup of tea and what appeared to be a sandwich right out from The Ritz, freshly made and delivered to you as you always made exagerate noises when you were eating your sandwich and drinking your tea. Me being like a spring chicken and impatient to have my second cup of tea, I had left on my own and soon enough I had come across a wanted person. I remember you coming over in a real rush and with much fright and shock you said' "What the hell is happening here?!!!!"
We soon laughed about you having to rush off your feet and I think after some time you would just smile so hard that your eyes would disappear.
Rest in peace my friend.
Chris, although I’ve known you since you joined the police family all those years ago, going back to the days of the TIB to being Hendon Ward officers, I was so pleased you chose me to be alongside you at the torch relay in Hendon for the 2012 Olympics, thank you.
I remember the day when we first talked genealogy and you thought I wouldn’t be able to find you in the records, of course I did and I will continue with your tree to pass to Olivia so your legacy lives on.
Good night and god bless Chris xxx
Dearest Chris I still can't believe that you have been taken away so early from us all. I have known you for so many years and i can honesty say that there has never been a time when i haven't seen your bright smile . i will miss you so much and all the money saving project's you had such as the cheap phones you bought from China which took months to recieve and when you got them you had to spend more money on the phone as it was all in Chinese and you had to convert it into English. The Christmas get togethers where we met up a few hours earlier to everyone and had a couple or more beers before everyone arrived. You are a true gentleman who spoke about Fiona and Olivia with love all the time. I will never forget you and you have left an empty hole in many lives from everyone who loved you .I am so glad that I saw and spoke to you recently and know you will be looking down at us all especially Fiona and Olivia. Miss you Chris my dear friend
There's plenty of things I could say about you Chris. Whether it was about our 'top bants', your unique ways of saving money, or even the often animated conversations we'd have, usually involving a few drinks... but I'll keep it simple with how I really feel.
I miss you mate.
Gone too soon. RIP.
Chris, I am still in shock that you are no longer with us, I have known you for many years and what a pleasure it was. You were a true gentlemen.
The days in the Hendon SNT base were the best days I think we all had, the laughs, jokes and disagreements. I always took the piss out of the weird sounds you made when you were eating.
You always spoke so highly of Fiona and Olivia, those who touch our lives, stay in our hearts forever.
You will truly be missed, sleep tight.
Chris you will be very missed.
You was always smiling, friendly and happy, always stopping for a chat.
One of life’s true gents.
The stars will shine brighter now you’re up there with them. Sleep tight. X
Going to miss you mate
When Rene sent me the message with the terrible news that Chris had passed away, I was in disbelief.
Working with you at Hendon was a pleasure, and as reflected in many of the tributes on this page, your smile lit up any room.
Your Chinese phones argument was so good you even got me buying a few, and actually, I continue to buy to this because of you buddy!
I'll never forget the moment Jules started tracing your family tree back, the way you were convinced you'd never be found made us all giggle when she finally did! Classic moment.
I hope your love and family values give Fiona and Olivia the strength to get through this difficult time, I'm sure you'll be watching over them and guiding them along.
For now, I wish you a peaceful journey dear Chris.
Our thoughts go out to The Donovan Family xox
Dear Chris, since you and Fiona moved to Baldock you have both been very good friends to me. It doesn't seem possible that you can be gone, it was so sudden and far too soon. I will miss your friendship and great sense of humour. x
Chris' infectious laugh will be missed. From the moment I did your intake of Street Duties your laugh was heard. A kind and generous man with such a calm manner. You will be missed by everyone who ever knew you.
I joined The Met over ten years ago and Chris was the first officer to meet and greet me, always had a smile. We spent many years together on SNT at our base in Hendon Central working with each on many jobs together. There’s two stories that always make me laugh, The Growling Man and The Brothel, I’ll share them with you at a later date! Even after Chris had left our SNT base he was always welcome you our Christmas parties, that shows how well Chris was liked. My condolences to you both, he was a good man who never had a bad word to say about anyone.
Having read, with fondness, every else’s memories of Chris, I can only really echo their sentiments. I didn’t know the story about Jules and the genealogy, but I’m surprised she even found him after I renamed him Chris O’Donovan (still in my phone as that!) following a discussion about my own Irish roots!
Chris was a probationer on Team 1 when I joined the Met, but our paths crossed a few more times over the years; most notably in the SNT base at Hendon when I was invariably devouring junk food while Chris was eating a perfectly made salad, and again a few years later when we both landed on Team 5!
Whilst I’m completely out of the social loop nowadays, and hadn’t seen Chris for probably something like 18months, I will always remember him as an intelligent, kind, funny and laid back guy.
My condolences and prayers are with Chris’ family and closest friends x
Chris you will be missed. I have fond memories of working with you on occasions. It didn’t matter what we we were doing you were always smiling. RIP TheDon Chris and thank you for your service 🙏🏼🙏🏼🥲
I still can't believe this news. You were such a lovely person, always smiling and whenever we would talk you would always laugh.
My thoughts are with your family but its clear you'll leave a lasting impression on those you met.
Going to miss you bro, u always hated me saying that, but I never stopped, miss our days patrolling leafy Totteridge, hope you RIP BRO 😎
