Mary Ellen (Deignan) McDonald

Age 81, of Wayland died on October 25, 2019.  Beloved wife of Thomas P. McDonald. Devoted mother of Marianne Thompson and her husband Bruce of Concord, Christopher McDonald of Greenwich, CT, David McDonald and his wife Tara of Needham, and Katherine Finn and her husband James of New York, New York.  Loving grandmother of Dylan Thompson, Sarah Thompson, Thomas McDonald and Caetlyn McDonald.  Sister of Kathleen Cameron of Sayville, New York and the late John Deignan and Patrick Deignan. Sisters-in-law Joy Deignan of Westport, CT and Joanne Deignan of Hilton Head, S.C. Aunt to many nieces and nephews.

Funeral from the John Everett & Sons Funeral Home 4 Park Street NATICK COMMON on Wednesday October 30th at 9:30am. Followed by a Funeral Mass in St. Ann’s Church (Good Shepherd Parish) 124 Cochituate Road Wayland at 10:30 am. Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend. Visiting Hours Tuesday October 29th from 4-8 pm in the funeral home. Interment private.

Mary Ellen was an angel on this earth.  She grew up in New York City and was orphaned as a young teen.  She helped guide her younger siblings through those difficult years.  Mary attended St. John’s University where she met Tom.  Mary and Tom enjoyed a loving marriage for 59 years and raised a beautiful family.   She was the center of her family and a model of grace, compassion, and humor to all who knew her.  She enjoyed gatherings with her large extended family and especially enjoyed hosting her family at Thanksgiving.   Mary was a teacher in New York City before having her own children.  Later, she returned to work as the assistant to the headmaster of Westminster School in Simsbury, CT, and then the executive assistant to the CEO of Executive Risk, also in Simsbury.  Upon retirement, Mary and Tom moved to N. Hutchinson Island, FL where Mary quickly made many friends, learned to play tennis and started a mahjong club.  She did the same thing when they moved to Bluffton, SC a few years later.  Mary was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2001.  Through all those years she never complained about the disease and faced every new challenge bravely and with grace.  In 2004 her children started Team Mary and have participated in the annual Parkinson's Unity Walk in Central Park ever since.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Mary Ellen’s memory may be made to:  The Michael J Fox Foundation (michaeljfox.org) P.O. Box 5014, Hagerstown, MD 21741-5014.

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