Donna Elizabeth MacDonald

Well… we’ve crossed the bridge that you always told us to cross when we came to it.
Mom was born on January 19, 1929, and died on January 14, 2025, just short of her 96th birthday.
She was the daughter of Annie and Cameron McNabb, grew up with her older brother Alex, and a whole mess of McNabb cousins, only one of whom was a girl. She went to school in Basswood and high school in Minnedosa.
After attending Normal School, she taught for one year before taking RN training at Brandon General Hospital. After graduation, she moved to Vancouver for a time before returning home.
She married Roy MacDonald on October 16, 1954, and became a farm wife.
She gardened, preserved, milked cows, baked bread, and kept her six children fed and clothed through many tough years.
She was a beautiful knitter.
Mom returned to nursing in 1978, working at Minnedosa Care Home.
She was a very kind and caring nurse. She did her job without realizing just how much of a positive impact she made on her residents. She retired in 1994 at age 65, then returned for daily visits to the care home for the nine years that Dad lived there.
Mom was active in the Cadurcis Community Club and had lots of fun later in life as a member of the Minnedosa UCT and as an avid bowler.
Mom’s whole life, she attended Cadurcis United Church, where we, as kids, all sang in the choir. She was a 4-H leader and a hockey mom.
She was the community nurse/consultant to the neighbourhood, often being called for her advice on various ailments.
At 85, she moved to her "granny suite" in town and enjoyed spending time with her friends. Her final move was back to the Minnedosa Care Home.

Her children—Nancy, Jean (Grant), John (Louise), Gaylene (Darren), Dan (Annie), and Doug (Julie)—will always remember and hold her close in their hearts. Each of her 17 grandchildren has their own special memories of their Grandma. We are grateful that she got to meet her nine great-grandchildren, and we know how much her nieces and nephews meant to her.

We deeply appreciate the staff of the care home who always treated her with kindness and affection. We are grateful to the nurse aides, recreation staff, nurses, Dr. Onyshko, and the kitchen and cleaning staff.

We are also grateful to Nathan and White’s Funeral Service for their kind and professional service.

A Graveside Service will take place at Cadurcis Cemetery on Thursday, July 31, 2025 at 2:00 p.m., with lunch to follow at Cadurcis Church. All are welcome. 

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