McDONALD, Marian (GEORGE)

MCDONALD, GEORGE, TURNCAURE, SULLENS, TRACEY, BOWE, MCDOWELL, JACKMAN, JOHNSON

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 12/12/2013 at 00:40:35

Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
June 19, 1999

Obituary ~ Marian (George) McDonald
March 13, 1914 ~ June 17, 1999

MASON CITY - Marian G. McDonald, 85, of 630 Briarstone Dr., died Thursday (June 17, 1999) at her home.

According to her wishes, her body has been donated to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics Medical School.

A Memorial Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Monday at Holy Family Catholic Church, 714 N. Adams Ave., with the Rev. David Beckman and Monsignor Joseph Slepicka concelebrating. Burial will be in the Elmwood-St. Joseph Cemetery, Mason City, at a later date.

Marian's family will greet friends starting at 5 p.m. Sunday at Hogan-Bremer Colonial Chapel, 126 Third St. N.E. The Athenian Study Club will conduct a Rosary at 6 p.m., followed by a Scriptural Wake service at 7 p.m.

Marian G. McDonald was born March 13, 1914, at Graettinger, the daughter of Ernest and Edith (Turncaure) George. She graduated from Graettinger High School as valedictorian and in 1929 placed first in the state in algebra in the State University of Iowa Academic meet. She attended and graduated from Hamilton Business College and at the age of 71, graduated from NIACC with a 4.0 grade-point average.

She was a bookkeeper for Peoples' Gas and Electric (later Interstate Power) until her marriage on May 18, 1942 to Francis E. "Bud" McDonald at Immaculate Conception Church in Graettinger. They made their home in Mason City except for 3 1/2 years during World War II when Mr. McDonald was stationed in Cincinnati with the Army Engineers. Mr. McDonald died in 1983.

She was a homemaker except for the period from 1969 to 1979 when she was employed as community relations assistant director and volunteer coordinator at Mercy Hospital.

She was an avid reader and worldwide traveler, having toured more than 30 countries and most of the United States. For over thirty years, she was an organist at Holy Family Catholic Church, accompanying the choir, also playing piano and organ for various area events.

She was very active in community affairs serving on numerous boards and committees and volunteering many hours in various organizations notably Mercy Auxiliary, Hawkeye Harvest Food Bank, Kinney Pioneer Museum and Heritage Care Center, where she taught Little Red Schoolhouse.

She was a 60-year member of Holy Family Catholic Church and Ladies Guild and had served on the Parish Council, was a lay distributor of communion and active in the Church Women United.

Marian was a founder, board member and officer of Kinney Pioneer Museum for many years.

She was a member of the Athenian Study Club, the Mercy Auxiliary, the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Colonial Dames, the New England Women, the Daughters of the American Colonists, the North Central Iowa Genealogy Society and numerous other genealogical organizations.

She is survived by two sons, James E. McDonald and his wife, Line, of Albuquerque, N.M., and Joseph F. McDonald and his wife, Jane, of Petaluma, Calif.; five grandchildren, Beth and Amy and her husband, Bryan Sullens; and Evan, Emily and Alex McDonald; one great-granddaughter, Edie; stepgrandson, Barry Tracey; a special grandson, Chris Bowe; a sister, Alice McDowell, of Eugene, Ore.; a sister-in-law, Eleanor McDonald, of Phoenix, Ariz.; and nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; one brother, Col. R.E. George; two sisters, Helen Jackman and Margaret Johnson; an infant son and an infant daughter.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the Kinney Pioneer Museum, Hospice of North Iowa or Holy Family Catholic Church Restoration Fund.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, December of 2013