Received from: Helen Theimer - [email protected]
Miss Katherine
MacDonald died in her home in Medicine Hat, Alberta on May 17, 1963. She was
the daughter of Lauchlin and Margaret Smith MacDonald. She was born in their
home on the Tenth Concession of Ramsay, one of a family of fourteen. In this
home six became teachers, one of whom, Robert Lorne, was Principal of Almonte
Public School from 1891 until 1913. Two brothers, John A. and William became
ministers. The late Miss MacDonald taught in Almonte for a few years in the
early 1920’s.
On
her death a funeral service was held on May 18 in Pattison’s Funeral Home in
Medicine Hat. It was conducted by Dr. R. L. Taylor of St. John’s Presbyterian
Church. Three nephews, Gordon McDonald of Etonia, Sask., R. L. McDonald of
Regina and Dr. Ian McDonald, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry of Saskatchewan
University and Dr. McDonald’s mother, Mrs. George McDonald of Calgary came for
the funeral. The last two accompanied
Miss Katherine MacDonald's sister Jessie east to Almonte for the interment.
A
short service was conducted in Almonte by the Rev. Leslie Elder of the
Presbyterian Church at 1.30 on May 21 in the Comba Funeral Home. Among
additional relatives present for this service were Mrs. A. Frank of Owen Sound,
Professor and Mrs. Stuart Prentice of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, Miss
Jean McDonald, Reg. N., of
Toronto, Mr. and Mrs. Nell MacDonald of Barrie, Mrs. S. E. MacDonald of Ottawa,
Miss K. E. McDonald of Toronto and Mr.
Harry McDonald, Mrs. Ed. Dixon and Mrs. Osborne Clark of Ottawa, all of whom
were nephews or nieces of the deceased. The pallbearers were Dr. Ian
McDonald, 0. A. McPhail, Harry McDonald, Lloyd Dixon, Robert Hawkins and D. M.
Campbell.
Interment
took place in the Cemetery which has always been owned by the family since two
of the first settlers, Donald and Lauchlin MacDonald were buried on the edge of
the clearing in 1823. It is of interest that only one, of the first generation
was not buried in this plot, Mrs. Cameron who
was interred in Beckwith. Mrs. Cameron's son Robert was the builder of the
Almonte Methodist Church and Post Office and a long time resident of Almonte.
Miss
Katherine MacDonald followed in the family tradition. She taught in several
schools in Ontario, the last being nine years in Pembroke. After the death of
her parents she and her twin sister, Jessie
E., sold their family home and
went west to live in Medicine Hat where they continued to live until Miss
Katherine's recent decease. She was Principal of the Riverside School from 1921
until her retirement in 1937.
She
had always been active in community affairs. She had held many offices,
including President of the Medicine Hat Alberta Teachers’ Association, Vice
President of the Canadian Club, Regent of the
Anna Carbert Chapter of the I.O.D.E.,
and President of the Connaught Ladles Golf Club. She was an ardent golfer and,
in 1937, she was runner up in the champion round of the City Ladies' Club
Tournament. She was a member of the Medicine flat Philharmonic Society and sang
in more than one oratorio. She was a member of the St. John’s Presbyterian
Church in which she was Superintendent of the Sunday School during the war
years, and treasurer of the W.M.S. for many years.
She was an avid
motorist, and had driven her car to the Maritime Provinces, to Florida, and, on
several occasions, to Ontario. She had travelled widely. In 1952 she and her
sister Jessie took a two month's tour of Britain and the Continent, during which
they visited the Island of Mull from which their ancestors had migrated to
Almonte in 1821. Now she rests among her ancestors in ground made sacred, to her
by their memory. More she could not wish.
McDONALD,
George, B.A.,
B.Paed. (Retired Superintendent of Regina Public Schools)
In
Calgary, on March 7, 1968, George McDonald, beloved husband of Alexandrina
MacLaren, dear father of Marion (Mrs. E. S. MacDermid) and Elizabeth (Betty) of
Toronto and Dr. Ian McDonald, Saskatoon. Resting at Fosters Funeral Home,
Calgary. Service on Saturday March 9 at 1:30 p.m.
MacDONALD -
At Medicine Hat, Alberta, on Friday, April 1st, 1966, Jessie Elizabeth
MacDonald. daughter of the late Margaret and Laughlin MacDonald and twin
sister of the late Katherine MacDonald. Resting at the Comba Funeral Home, Church St., Almonte.
Funeral service at the Funeral Home, Thursday, April 7th, at 2 p.m. Interment
MacDonald's cemetery, 10th line of Ramsay, in the spring.
Former Almonte Teacher Dies In Medicine Hat
Miss
Jessie Elizabeth MacDonald, resident of 820A, 1st Ave., Medicine Hat,
Alberta, passed away suddenly in the Medicine Hat General Hospital, Friday
morning, April 1, 1966. Born April 9, 1877, in Almonte, Ont., Miss MacDonald was
the daughter of Lauchlin and Margaret MacDonald, one of six in the family who became members of
the teaching profession.
Miss
MacDonald was educated in the Almonte High School; Perth Model School and the
Ottawa Normal School. She taught in the
Almonte Public School until moving to Medicine Hat in September of 1913 with
her twin sister Katherine. Miss MacDonald taught school in Medicine Hat until her retirement in 1937. The Alberta Teachers' Association honored both
sisters with Life Memberships in the Association.
Miss MacDonald was an active
member of St. John's Presbyterian Church; a member of the afternoon Study Group
U.M.S. and of
the Hill Circle. She was also a member of the Anna Carbert Chapter of the
I.O.D.E.
She
was predeceased by her twin sister Katherine in 1963. Surviving her passing is a
brother George MacDonald of Calgary, Alberta, and several nieces and nephews.
Dr. R. L. Taylor conducted the funeral services in Pattison’s “Chapel on the Corner”. The remains were then forwarded to Almonte for interment in the Family Plot of the MacDonald Cemetery. The body rested at the Comba Funeral Home, where services will be held this (Thursday) afternoon.
Greatly Beloved Retired Minister Dies
Rev.
William McDonald, B.A., B.D., 39 Deninstoun Ave., retired usually minister of
the United Church died Tuesday at Civic Hospital in his 83rd year.
In
his ten-year pastorate at Knox United church, beginning in 1926, Mr. McDonald
had won the respect and friendship of many people of all denominations. To them
the news today of his death leaves a feeling of personal and community loss. He
was not only a devoted churchman, but
also a citizen of broad interests that extended, for instance from his
association in the manly sport of curling to the response of his heart's
sympathy as a member of the advisory board of the Canadian National Institute
for the Blind. He was a man of God who rubbed elbows with his fellowmen where he
met them, and unobtrusively left the impress of his friendly Christian nature
among them.
BORN
NEAR ALMONTE
Mr.
McDonald was born near Almonte in Lanark county, son of Lachlan McDonald and his
wife, Jessie Smith. One of the memorable events of his ministry was his
induction at Read's Mills near
Kemptville. On Oct. 28, 1901, the church at that hamlet was dedicated, and on
the following day Mr. McDonald was ordained.
From
that pastorate he moved to Lanark, near his birthplace of Almonte, and seven
years later continued his ministry in Sudbury, 1912-1926. On his arrival in
Peterborough, Mr. McDonald felt, as he afterwards recalled "As soon as I
saw it, I knew this was home."
From
Knox United in 1936 he went to Thornton, near Barrie, terminating his active
ministry there three years later. And then he came "home" again to
Peterborough for the years of his retirement. Occasionally he assisted at Knox
church, but his hearing was failing him and he listened to services on the radio
for their clearer reception.
Mr.
McDonald had become a life member of the Peterborough Curling Club, and his
memory will be perpetuated at the rink in his gift trophy for competition
between rinks of men and women.
A
graduate of Queen's University, Kingston, and active in the Masonic Order, Mr.
McDonald was a member of Evergreen Lodge AF & AM, in Sudbury, Lanark, Corinthian
Chapter and Moore Preceptory in Peterborough. He was also Past Grand
Superintendent of the Grand Chapter in the province of Ontario. At the time of
his death he was chaplain of the William James Dunlop lodge. AF & AM No.
675.
Mr.
McDonald leaves three daughters, Miss Jean McDonald. Toronto; Mrs. Walter Little
(Marjorie), Parry Sound; and Mrs. Gordon Dobbin (Agnes Kathleen), Peterborough;
and one son, W. L. McDonald, Toronto; also two sisters, Misses Jessie and Kate
McDonald of Medicine Hat, Alta., and one brother, George McDonald, Regina, Sask.
A Masonic service will be held at the Comstock funeral home on Thursday at 7:30 p.m, and the funeral service under the auspices of Peterborough Presbytery of the United church, will be at Knox United church, Friday at 2 p.m. Burial will be at Little Lake cemetery.
Posted: 23 April, 2005