Carolyn Eleanor MacDonna
October 29, 1932 (Garfield, New Jersey) - December 8, 2020 (Springfield, Illinois)
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Parents: Robert Laurie Maitland and Virginia Emma Knichel Maitland
Spouse: Rev. Dr. David MacDonna, Jr. Children: David MacDonna III, Virginia (Jim) Dolan, Allison Santos, Cheryl (Mark) McSweeney High School Attended: Bogota High School in Bogota, New Jersey College Attended: Bloomfield College in New Jersey, SIU Carbondale, Speech and Audiology degree |
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Carolyn E. MacDonna, 88, of Springfield passed away on December 8, 2020. Carolyn was the fourth of five children born to Robert Laurie Maitland and Virginia Emma Knichel Maitland on October 29, 1932 in Garfield, New Jersey. Raised in a loving, large, extended family, she loved her family pursuits of singing, sketching, church life and community theater. She considered herself born into the Presbyterian faith as it was the center of her family’s social life. She first joined the Presbyterian Church of Maywood, NJ at 12 years old and was extremely active in Westminster Fellowship Youth program at the local, presbytery, and synod level through high school.
She loved baseball starting with a loyalty to the Brooklyn Dodgers and later the St. Louis Cardinals. She also played softball in high school and into college.
Carolyn graduated from Bogota High School, Bogota, NJ in 1950. She worked for a year at Board of Foreign Missions, 20th St and Fifth Ave in New York City as a mail clerk and receptionist. The following year, she was first in her family to attend college, attending Bloomfield College in New Jersey. There she met theological student David MacDonna Jr. They married in the Chapel of Miami University in Miami, Florida and experienced 59 years together starting at Louisville Seminary and served Presbyterian churches in Southern Indiana and Harrisburg, Illinois. They moved to Decatur, Illinois with Dave’s election to Executive Presbyter of Southeastern Illinois.
Carolyn tirelessly worked in the minister’s wife role, raised 5 children, earned a degree in speech pathology and audiology from SIU Carbondale and taught preschool and nonverbal children for 20 years. They all remember her as Mac. Carolyn’s children recall her greatest gift – to create something from nothing, whether in creating a gift or preparing a meal. Her abilities as an artist ranged from calligraphy to pastels and charcoals. Her murals adorned bedroom and hospital walls.
She loved solving problems - mechanical, technical, social, and those of faith. She loved the Presbyterian Women organization and worked locally and nationally. With irrepressible faith, Carolyn ministered through leadership, art, song, and theater. Carolyn served as an Elder and Deacon in several churches. Her community involvements ranged from Beta Sigma Phi, President to Delta Kappa Gamma, Treasurer to President and Secretary of the Menard County Trails and Greenways, Train Engineer at Scovill Zoo in Decatur, IL and 18 years participation in Theatre Seven community theatre in Decatur, IL. She and Dave loved their years volunteering as Stationary Guides at the opening of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum.
She had shared her faith, love of nature, and imagination with her 5 children and 12 grandchildren. Her grandchildren are David (Janet) MacDonna IV, Ashley (Jamie) Murry, Liam MacDonna, Ryan (Katherine) Dolan, Kelby (Chelsea) Dolan, Erin (Josh) Masters, Keegan (Katy) MacDonna, Lynne Santos, Grace Santos, Michael (Qi) McSweeney, Kristin (Brendan) Kelly, and Kerrigan McSweeney. They all value that their Grandma taught them to see something in every cloud formation.
Survivors are children, David MacDonna III, Virginia (Jim) Dolan, Allison Santos, and Cheryl (Mark) McSweeney, her grandchildren and great grandchildren, her sister, Jean Souter and brother, Donald Maitland. Her husband, the Rev. Dr. David MacDonna Jr, son, Paul MacDonna, parents and brothers, Robert L. Maitland III and David Maitland preceded her in death.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, July 31, 2021 at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 533 S Walnut St, Springfield, with Reverend Dr. Blythe Denham Kieffer and Reverend Susan Phillips officiating. Inurnment will follow in the Westminster Presbyterian Church Memorial Garden.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Illinois Presbyterian Home in Springfield. https://www.iphcommunities.org.
For the meals you pulled together with little to spend,
for the piano lessons and many concerts,
for the identification of birds and trees,
for helping our dog deliver her puppies,
for banana curls and handmade dresses for Virginia and the girls every Easter,
for stargazing and watching for satellites,
for your love of the ocean and lighthouses,
for your love of family,
for your pursuit of continued education and a career with five children at home,
for your belief in women’s rights,
for your belief in others,
for your love of theater and acting,
for your generosity and for your love.
A few of many things for which we are grateful.
She loved baseball starting with a loyalty to the Brooklyn Dodgers and later the St. Louis Cardinals. She also played softball in high school and into college.
Carolyn graduated from Bogota High School, Bogota, NJ in 1950. She worked for a year at Board of Foreign Missions, 20th St and Fifth Ave in New York City as a mail clerk and receptionist. The following year, she was first in her family to attend college, attending Bloomfield College in New Jersey. There she met theological student David MacDonna Jr. They married in the Chapel of Miami University in Miami, Florida and experienced 59 years together starting at Louisville Seminary and served Presbyterian churches in Southern Indiana and Harrisburg, Illinois. They moved to Decatur, Illinois with Dave’s election to Executive Presbyter of Southeastern Illinois.
Carolyn tirelessly worked in the minister’s wife role, raised 5 children, earned a degree in speech pathology and audiology from SIU Carbondale and taught preschool and nonverbal children for 20 years. They all remember her as Mac. Carolyn’s children recall her greatest gift – to create something from nothing, whether in creating a gift or preparing a meal. Her abilities as an artist ranged from calligraphy to pastels and charcoals. Her murals adorned bedroom and hospital walls.
She loved solving problems - mechanical, technical, social, and those of faith. She loved the Presbyterian Women organization and worked locally and nationally. With irrepressible faith, Carolyn ministered through leadership, art, song, and theater. Carolyn served as an Elder and Deacon in several churches. Her community involvements ranged from Beta Sigma Phi, President to Delta Kappa Gamma, Treasurer to President and Secretary of the Menard County Trails and Greenways, Train Engineer at Scovill Zoo in Decatur, IL and 18 years participation in Theatre Seven community theatre in Decatur, IL. She and Dave loved their years volunteering as Stationary Guides at the opening of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum.
She had shared her faith, love of nature, and imagination with her 5 children and 12 grandchildren. Her grandchildren are David (Janet) MacDonna IV, Ashley (Jamie) Murry, Liam MacDonna, Ryan (Katherine) Dolan, Kelby (Chelsea) Dolan, Erin (Josh) Masters, Keegan (Katy) MacDonna, Lynne Santos, Grace Santos, Michael (Qi) McSweeney, Kristin (Brendan) Kelly, and Kerrigan McSweeney. They all value that their Grandma taught them to see something in every cloud formation.
Survivors are children, David MacDonna III, Virginia (Jim) Dolan, Allison Santos, and Cheryl (Mark) McSweeney, her grandchildren and great grandchildren, her sister, Jean Souter and brother, Donald Maitland. Her husband, the Rev. Dr. David MacDonna Jr, son, Paul MacDonna, parents and brothers, Robert L. Maitland III and David Maitland preceded her in death.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, July 31, 2021 at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 533 S Walnut St, Springfield, with Reverend Dr. Blythe Denham Kieffer and Reverend Susan Phillips officiating. Inurnment will follow in the Westminster Presbyterian Church Memorial Garden.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Illinois Presbyterian Home in Springfield. https://www.iphcommunities.org.
For the meals you pulled together with little to spend,
for the piano lessons and many concerts,
for the identification of birds and trees,
for helping our dog deliver her puppies,
for banana curls and handmade dresses for Virginia and the girls every Easter,
for stargazing and watching for satellites,
for your love of the ocean and lighthouses,
for your love of family,
for your pursuit of continued education and a career with five children at home,
for your belief in women’s rights,
for your belief in others,
for your love of theater and acting,
for your generosity and for your love.
A few of many things for which we are grateful.