December 27, 2020
1924-2020 ~ It is with heavy hearts, we announce the passing of our friend, Mom, Grandma (Gma), Great Grandma (Ggma), and Aunt, Gloria Nellie Macdonald. After a short illness, she peacefully left us on December 27, 2020 with family by her side at the age of 96. She was the last of her generation for us.
She joins her husband Andrew, son Garnet, and daughter Sherri to watch over us all. Left behind to keep her memory alive are her son in law, Jim, son Ian (Cathy), daughter Julie (Hugh), grandchildren James (Lindsay), Melanie (Erik), Roy (Jeanette), Judy, Karin (Jon), great grandsons Cameron, Lucas, and many nieces and nephews in Canada and the USA. Thank you Eloise for your years of friendship.
She was born in Scobey Montana to her beloved parents Laverne and Myrtle Cornwell. Her hands were rarely still, she was highly skilled in knitting. Since learning at the age of 4, she kept family, friends, and craft fairs goers warm and cozy. She would make time to teach knitting whenever the opportunity arose, be it to her children, granddaughters, great grandsons, or someone while waiting for an appointment.
Growing up in the Prairies (Montana and Southern Saskatchewan) during the depression she learned to make filling flavourful meals with what they had. She was amazingly creative in the kitchen, making things from scratch, and passing those skills to others. Creating food meant "love" to her. Nurturing someone and seeing them enjoy it was a gift. She always made sure you were not alone for a meal over the holidays.
Mom served in the Royal Canadian Air Force during WWII. She was stationed in Prince Rupert, where she met Dad and started our family. She loved her family and instilled strong values of love, respect, and kindness in us. She was our matriarch and our rock. She guided us with her wisdom, encouraged us with her words, celebrated in our successes, and comforted us in our sorrows. She had a wicked sense of humour. She will be dearly missed and forever in our hearts.
We would like to thank Dr. John Croft and the wonderful nurses and staff at the PRRH. We are grateful for the time you spent away from your families this holiday season caring for Mom. Words cannot express our heartfelt appreciation for treating our Mom with kindness and respect allowing her to pass with dignity during this pandemic. When covid allows, we will celebrate an amazing woman, our friend, Mom, Gma, Ggma, and Aunt. In the meantime, please remember her fondly and pass on a kindness to another.