Devoted to her family.
WATERBURY - Margaret (Niehaus) McDonald, age 80, of Waterbury, passed away peacefully with her family by her side, at the Hospital of St. Raphael in New Haven, on March 17, 2024. She was the beloved wife of the late Robert Sean McDonald, who left his Maggie on November 16, 2021.
Margie was born on Palm Sunday, April 18, 1943, in the Bronx, NY, to the late Hermann and Mariechen (Schade) Niehaus. Raised in Valhalla, NY, she was a graduate of Briarcliff High School and SUNY Cobleskill, earning an associate’s degree in nursery education. After college, she went to work as a secretary for General Foods. On May 20, 1967, she married Bob at United Methodist Church in Valhalla, and then an hour later at Holy Name of Jesus Roman Catholic Church. She wore two wedding bands to honor both their faiths. In 1968, they welcomed their first daughter, Ellyn Marie, and in 1972, they welcomed a second daughter, Suzanne Carol. In 1973, Margie and Bob relocated to Waterbury, CT, to be able to purchase a new home. Margie was a stay-at-home mom to her girls, until she returned to the workforce working for the City of Waterbury. She was a paraprofessional at Walsh School, followed by becoming a clerk for the Board of Education, and ultimately retiring as a clerk for Adult Education. In 1991, when their nest was empty, Margie and Bob started going on regular cruises on the Delta Queen. They traversed every inch of the Mississippi River and her tributaries. They were barely done with one trip before they were dreaming of the next. Margie and Bob were also ardent LSU football fans. Saturday nights in the fall were spent cheering on their Tigers, wearing their purple and gold. In the spring and summer, they enjoyed watching their dinner plate dahlias, zinnias, and daffodils bloom. The McDonalds were 40-plus year members of First Congregational Church of Waterbury. Margie was especially proud to serve on the church council, especially Outreach. She was a thoughtful and giving person and whenever she saw a need, she quietly jumped in to help, never expecting recognition. Margie valued her time with her girls. After losing Bobby, she created new traditions - San Marino with Ellyn, Verdi with Suzie, and always with a glass of cheap chardonnay. Spending time with her grandchildren was so important to her, and she was immensely proud of the amazing people they have become. She loved being their Omie. Margie was heartbroken to lose her first grandchild, Trent Jay Liseo, on February 5th of this year. It gives his mom, sister, and aunt great comfort to know she is now with him. Margie was blessed to love many cats and dogs throughout her life. The past year and a half were spent with her cat Smokey, or The Bear, as she called him. Her previous dogs Cora, Max, Sarah, and Heidi greeted her in Heaven.
Margie leaves her daughters, Ellyn McDonald Liseo of New Haven, Suzanne (Michael) McDermott of Guilford, and grandchildren, Katherine Schade Liseo, Daniel Patrick McDermott, Caroline Margaret Lucy McDermott, and the late Trent Jay Liseo. She also leaves her brother and sister-in-law, Terence and Eileen McDonald of Delaware, and nephew and nieces, Robert (Laura) Rosa, Margaret Rosa, Elisabeth Rosa, Maureen (Julian) Watras, and Erin (Chris) Sweet. In addition to her husband, parents, and grandson, Margie was predeceased by her in-laws, Robert and Mary McDonald, and her sister and brother-in-law, Eleanor and Robert Rosa.
She was a loyal and true friend, with abiding relationships with those she held most dear. She was heartbroken to lose her oldest friend, Judy Bruni, devastated to lose her close friend, Carol Browne this past Thanksgiving, and saddened to have lost Marcie Gordon at such a young age. She loved her lifelong friend, Joy Dexter, with all of her heart as well as her dear friend of 35 years, Karen Petrocelli. Margie also leaves neighbors and friends, Joan Higley, Linda Lindsay, Janis Bloch, Cookie Pelletier, Mike and Nancy Christiano, and Ricardo and Rachelle Alouidor. The family would like to thank the SICU team at St. Raphael's, Dr. Tyler Jones, Faticia Jenkins, APRN, and Alison Spinella, APRN, for their kindness, respect, and compassion for Margie and her girls.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday March 23, 2024, at 3:00 p.m. at First Congregational Church of Waterbury, on Saturday, March 23, 2024, at 3:00pm with Reverend Dennis McGuire officiating. Burial will be at the convenience of the family. To honor Margie’s memory, donations to Greater Waterbury Interfaith Ministries (GWIM) 770 East Main Street, Waterbury, CT 06702. Casey’s Eastside Memorial Funeral Home and Cremation Care, 1987 East Main Street, Waterbury, CT 06705, has been honored to care for the McDonald family during this difficult time. Loving- kindness is always welcome, and it only takes a moment to offer a message of condolence or words of comfort or share a memory of someone important to you with family and friends. Please visit the funeral home’s tribute page at www.caseyfunerals.com to do so. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the McDonald family, please visit our Sympathy Store.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Mrs. Margaret McDonald, please visit our flower store.
WATERBURY - Margaret (Niehaus) McDonald, age 80, of Waterbury, passed away peacefully with her family by her side, at the Hospital of St. Raphael in New Haven, on March 17, 2024. She was the beloved wife of the late Robert Sean McDonald, who left his Maggie on November 16, 2021.
Margie was born on Palm Sunday, April 18, 1943, in the Bronx, NY, to the late Hermann and Mariechen (Schade) Niehaus. Raised in Valhalla, NY, she was a graduate of Briarcliff High School and SUNY Cobleskill, earning an associate’s degree in nursery education. After college, she went to work as a secretary for General Foods. On May 20, 1967, she married Bob at United Methodist Church in Valhalla, and then an hour later at Holy Name of Jesus Roman Catholic Church. She wore two wedding bands to honor both their faiths. In 1968, they welcomed their first daughter, Ellyn Marie, and in 1972, they welcomed a second daughter, Suzanne Carol. In 1973, Margie and Bob relocated to Waterbury, CT, to be able to purchase a new home. Margie was a stay-at-home mom to her girls, until she returned to the workforce working for the City of Waterbury. She was a paraprofessional at Walsh School, followed by becoming a clerk for the Board of Education, and ultimately retiring as a clerk for Adult Education. In 1991, when their nest was empty, Margie and Bob started going on regular cruises on the Delta Queen. They traversed every inch of the Mississippi River and her tributaries. They were barely done with one trip before they were dreaming of the next. Margie and Bob were also ardent LSU football fans. Saturday nights in the fall were spent cheering on their Tigers, wearing their purple and gold. In the spring and summer, they enjoyed watching their dinner plate dahlias, zinnias, and daffodils bloom. The McDonalds were 40-plus year members of First Congregational Church of Waterbury. Margie was especially proud to serve on the church council, especially Outreach. She was a thoughtful and giving person and whenever she saw a need, she quietly jumped in to help, never expecting recognition. Margie valued her time with her girls. After losing Bobby, she created new traditions - San Marino with Ellyn, Verdi with Suzie, and always with a glass of cheap chardonnay. Spending time with her grandchildren was so important to her, and she was immensely proud of the amazing people they have become. She loved being their Omie. Margie was heartbroken to lose her first grandchild, Trent Jay Liseo, on February 5th of this year. It gives his mom, sister, and aunt great comfort to know she is now with him. Margie was blessed to love many cats and dogs throughout her life. The past year and a half were spent with her cat Smokey, or The Bear, as she called him. Her previous dogs Cora, Max, Sarah, and Heidi greeted her in Heaven.
Margie leaves her daughters, Ellyn McDonald Liseo of New Haven, Suzanne (Michael) McDermott of Guilford, and grandchildren, Katherine Schade Liseo, Daniel Patrick McDermott, Caroline Margaret Lucy McDermott, and the late Trent Jay Liseo. She also leaves her brother and sister-in-law, Terence and Eileen McDonald of Delaware, and nephew and nieces, Robert (Laura) Rosa, Margaret Rosa, Elisabeth Rosa, Maureen (Julian) Watras, and Erin (Chris) Sweet. In addition to her husband, parents, and grandson, Margie was predeceased by her in-laws, Robert and Mary McDonald, and her sister and brother-in-law, Eleanor and Robert Rosa.
She was a loyal and true friend, with abiding relationships with those she held most dear. She was heartbroken to lose her oldest friend, Judy Bruni, devastated to lose her close friend, Carol Browne this past Thanksgiving, and saddened to have lost Marcie Gordon at such a young age. She loved her lifelong friend, Joy Dexter, with all of her heart as well as her dear friend of 35 years, Karen Petrocelli. Margie also leaves neighbors and friends, Joan Higley, Linda Lindsay, Janis Bloch, Cookie Pelletier, Mike and Nancy Christiano, and Ricardo and Rachelle Alouidor. The family would like to thank the SICU team at St. Raphael's, Dr. Tyler Jones, Faticia Jenkins, APRN, and Alison Spinella, APRN, for their kindness, respect, and compassion for Margie and her girls.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday March 23, 2024, at 3:00 p.m. at First Congregational Church of Waterbury, on Saturday, March 23, 2024, at 3:00pm with Reverend Dennis McGuire officiating. Burial will be at the convenience of the family. To honor Margie’s memory, donations to Greater Waterbury Interfaith Ministries (GWIM) 770 East Main Street, Waterbury, CT 06702. Casey’s Eastside Memorial Funeral Home and Cremation Care, 1987 East Main Street, Waterbury, CT 06705, has been honored to care for the McDonald family during this difficult time. Loving- kindness is always welcome, and it only takes a moment to offer a message of condolence or words of comfort or share a memory of someone important to you with family and friends. Please visit the funeral home’s tribute page at www.caseyfunerals.com to do so. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the McDonald family, please visit our Sympathy Store.
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