Obituary of Francis MacDonald

It is with great sadness we announce the passing of Francis MacDonald, of Back Road Brierly Brook, in the R.K. MacDonald Nursing Home in Antigonish, on October 9, 2023, at the age of 91.

Born in Port Hawkesbury, Francis was the son of the late Joseph (Big Joe) and Gertrude (Dunn) MacDonald. He spent his childhood in Antigonish County, where he met Evelyn, his future wife. This back road Brierly Brook schoolyard meeting led to sixty-two years of marriage. They spent their early married life in Hamilton, where Francis worked in the steel industry and Evelyn practiced nursing. Francis and Evelyn returned to Antigonish to raise their family in Evelyn’s childhood home — an idyllic farmhouse where Francis farmed the land. His later career at Saint Francis Xavier University was indicative of his love for community, as he served as an Antigonish town councillor and held a membership on the Antigonish Arena Commission. His role in grounds transportation allowed him to work on campus for twenty-eight years before retiring from the university in 1997, where he was greatly missed by staff and students alike. While working at the university, he balanced his love of the land, maintaining his farm and raising beef and sheep.

Francis enjoyed spending time outdoors and felt at home in nature. He had a kind heart and was a strong, quiet presence to his family. He will be remembered as a hard-working father who provided for his family, and as a loving, supportive grandfather to his many grandchildren. He was immensely proud of his grandchildren and their accomplishments.

Francis was a do-it-yourself handyman, a hunter, a camper, and a farmer. He enjoyed the simpler things in life. His valued skills included chopping wood to keep the wood stove burning through the winter and stepping up as the potato masher at Sunday family dinners. His projects, hobbies and interests showed his ingenuity and creativity, from building his own sawmill to constructing a hydraulic trailer for the family farm.

He leaves behind his wife of sixty-two years, Evelyn; children; Marilyn Dugas (Ron), Antigonish; Jack (Beth), Antigonish; Mike (Tracey), Antigonish; Loretta Gaynor (Mike), Kemptville, Ontario; Kelly Fulton (Ian), Osgoode, Ontario; Kathleen Fraser (Donnie), Antigonish; twenty-four grandchildren and four great grandchildren; sister Ellen Roy, sisters in-law Tilly MacDonald and Elaine MacDonald.

Francis was predeceased by his granddaughter Maria Gaynor, siblings, Edwin, Joseph, Margaret, Tony, Betty and Robert.

Visitation will be held from 2-4 and 7-9 on Thursday, October 12, 2023 in MacIsaac Funeral Home, 61 Pleasant Street, Antigonish. Funeral Mass will be held at 1 pm on Friday, October 13, 2023 in St. Ninian Cathedral. Burial in the parish cemetery. 

Donations in memory may be made to B for Kai Foundation (https://iwkfoundation.org/iwk-bforkai-trust) or to a charity of your choice.