Geraldine Theresa MacDonald
Date de décès : 15 juillet 2008
Geraldine (Gerry) Theresa MacDonald (Rogers) passed away on Tuesday, July 15, 2008, at the Victoria General Hospital, surrounded by family and friends. Gerry was born in Glace Bay, N.S., and was one of 10 children born to Thomas Rogers and Mary MacInnis. After graduation from high school, she went on to Teachers College and taught school in New Aberdeen, N.S. She then left for an adventure teaching school in Vulcan, Alta., and spent summers working at the Prince of Wales Hotel in Waterton, Alta. Upon returning to Nova Scotia, she married Ed MacDonald of Sydney. Gerry gave up her teaching career to care for her five children (twins, Cathy and Pat, followed shortly by Janice and Bob, with David arriving a little later). She and Ed then moved to Moncton to raise their family and this proved to be a very busy time with four children under the age of three. Coming from a teaching background, Gerry felt strongly about the importance of education and learning, and was very pleased when all her children completed a post-secondary education. Her independent and adventurous spirit was demonstrated by her frequent travels to California, Arizona, Alberta and Newfoundland (and included horseback riding with her sons in western Canada not so long ago!). She also enjoyed the many telephone calls and visits over the years from friends that she and Ed met along the way. Gerry loved her grandchildren more than anything and laughter always surrounded them as they shared stories or played cards and board games together. Her brown sugar fudge, cinnamon rolls and brownies, were special treats enjoyed by all. A frequent topic of conversation was her happy childhood growing up in Glace Bay, N.S., and she would regale her audience with any number of stories from that time. Special memories were of summers spent in Shediac, N.B., where Gerry was surrounded by family, friends, sun and ocean. Another love of Gerry’s was flowers, which she planted faithfully each year and was especially fond of roses and Sweet William. Dancing was a favourite activity and she and Ed would attend many a ‘Legion’ dance with friends. Gerry enjoyed many years of volunteer work teaching religious education to elementary school children in Moncton. Although her health was failing over the past several years, Gerry loved nothing better than sharing a cup of tea with family and friends and she will be sadly missed by all who knew her. Gerry was predeceased by her husband Ed, brothers, William and Harold and sisters, Dorothy, Bridget and Camilla. She is survived by her daughters, Catherine McJannet (Larry and son Ian), San Diego, Patricia Edmonds (Cyril and daughters Colleen and Jennifer), Moncton, Janice Mellish (Robert and sons David, Jimmy -Sarah, sons Logan and Ethan, Andrew and Michael), Robert, Calgary and David (Marilynne), Calgary; brothers, Thomas Rogers, Glace Bay, Angus Rogers, New Waterford; and sisters, Mary Penny, Glace Bay, and Priscilla Wojcik, Sydney. As she wished, cremation has already taken place. Visitation will be held Wednesday, July 23 from 7-9 p.m. at the Atlantic Funeral Home, 6552 Bayers Rd., Halifax. The funeral service will be held Thursday, July 24 at 1 p.m. at Saint Augustine’s Roman Catholic Church, 340 Dominion St., Moncton N.B., with reception to follow in the church hall. Burial to follow in Fair Haven Memorial Gardens, 1167 Salisbury Rd., Moncton. Family flowers only. Donations may be made to The Lung Association or to the charity of your choice. A special thanks to all those that assisted with her care, especially Dr. Craig St. Peters for his care and kindness.
