Obituary of Mary Lou MacDougall

It is with sadness that we announce the passing of Mary Louise MacDougall (nee MacDonell) on August 27, 2025.

Mary Lou (known in childhood as ‘Lulu’) was born in Antigonish to Dr. John and Antonia (Toni) MacDonell on April 26,1961. The third of six children, her early years were spent surrounded by friends and neighbors, spending summers at the family cottage in Jimtown (where she played the clarinet in the Jimtown band), and winters skiing at the Keppoch or skating on the backyard rink on Mariner Drive. She loved to read, watch movies, write letters, and sing, and became a fierce Scrabble competitor.

After high school she began working at MacDonald’s drug store, and connected with an old classmate, Donald MacDougall. He would drive her home after church, and their relationship began.  She and Donald married, had three children together, and moved into their dream house by the lake. Mary Lou dedicated herself to the raising of their children, instilling in them her curiosity, kindness, and patience. She would make pies and bring them to loved ones, watch the birds on the lake and thunderstorms from the porch-- just as she had done as a child at Jimtown. Mary Lou and Donald spent every day together in the house by the lake and watched their three children grow to adults and find their own ways in the world. She read voraciously until her illness took her ability to hold a book.  

Later in life, as her illness progressed, Mary Lou moved to the Sherbrooke Nursing Home and then the R. K. MacDonald Nursing Home, where she made many friends with her kindness and empathy. She and her friends would race around in their power chairs, laughing. joking and bumping into a few things. Mary Lou and Donald continued to spend each day together and spent many wonderful hours at the gazebo, the back garden, or the solarium chatting and laughing with the other 'inmates'. Even after her illness took her ability to speak, she would spend time outside with her friends listening and smiling with encouragement.

Mary Lou is predeceased by her father, Dr. John MacDonell, her brother John MacDonell, her cherished in-laws Charlie and Bernadette MacDougall, and her brother-in- law, Paul MacDougall, and dear friends, Siobhan, Ruby, Allan, and Lynn. She is survived by her loving husband Donald MacDougall, children Donald (Ewa) MacDougall, Kevin MacDougall, and Laura (Wes) MacDougall, grandchildren Ben and Harper, siblings Remi (Tina) MacDonell, Betty MacDonald, Peggy (Bruce) MacKinnon, and Denise (Mike) MacDonell, close cousins Ron, James, Mike and John MacDonell, the MacDougalls of Greenwold, the Mazerolles of Dalhousie, and beloved cousins, nieces and nephews, friends and neighbours.  

Cremation has taken place. There will be no visitation. Funeral Mass will be held on September 4th at 11am in St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, St. Joseph's. Memorial donations may be made to CACL Antigonish. 

In lieu of visitation, the family invites all to a celebration of life at the St. Joseph's Lakeside Community Centre following the funeral mass.  Contributions of songs and stories are welcome.