Obituary of Kevin W. Dornan

Kevin W. Dornan, 71, of West Palm Beach, FL passed away peacefully on February 15, 2024, with family members by his side. Born in Rockville Centre, NY, he was the son of the late William and Grace (Maher) Dornan.

He is survived by his four sisters: Patricia Bertino of Sudbury, VT, Debra Schroeder and Mary Dornan of Venice, FL and Maureen Moran of Doylestown, PA. His memory will also be cherished by eight nieces and nephews, as well as many extended family members. Kevin was a friend and mentor to many throughout his life.

Originally born in Levittown, NY, Kevin grew up in Islip Terrace, NY. He attended St. Mary’s Elementary School in East Islip, and St. Pius X Preparatory Seminary in Uniondale, NY. Upon graduation, he received a full scholarship to Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, where he completed an intensive program in Philosophy in only two and a half years and graduated with distinction.

Kevin was a scholar who loved learning, as evidenced by his continued studies at Heidelburg University in Germany, and at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he earned a master’s degree in philosophy. He pursued doctoral study in Philosophy at Boston University, then attended seminary at Catholic University. He was ordained a priest at the Cathedral of St. Matthew in Washington, DC in 1980.

Always driven by a keen sense of morality and purpose, Kevin later changed paths, and attended the University of Maryland Law School, where he continued to demonstrate his outstanding capabilities and served as the editor of the Law Review. He was conferred his Juris Doctorate in May 1987, and graduated at the top of his class. His law career began as a litigator and corporate securities lawyer in Washington, DC; he later served as in-house counsel to a telecommunications company and ran his private practice in Ocala, FL. From 1996 to 2007, Kevin served as a Senior Adjunct Instructor in Business Ethics at St. Leo College, and an Adjunct Instructor in Business Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility at Eckerd College, both in FL. In 2008, he was appointed as the Ethics Counselor for Gunster Law Firm, and in 2015 was named their Deputy General Counsel. During this time, he also authored Lessons Learned: Practical Ethics for Busy Lawyers, published in 2016 by the American Bar Association.

Kevin was a part of a very close-knit Irish Catholic family filled with love and laughter. He was generous, hardworking, and possessed a quick wit and a creative sense of humor. He enjoyed reading, the theatre, and cooking, often engaging his sister as his sous chef. Kevin will be dearly missed by his family and those who were fortunate enough to have had him in their lives.

Friends and family may pay their respects on Wednesday, March 6th from 4 - 7 PM at Farley Funeral Home, located at 265 S. Nokomis Ave., Venice, FL. A funeral mass will be celebrated on March 7th at 10:00 am at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, located at 1301 Center Rd., Venice, FL. A private burial will take place at a later time.  To view the funeral mass please visit https://www.studiokrp.com/kevin-dornan-memorial-live-stream

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Kevin’s memory to the Mother Theresa Foundation or Feeding America.