Obituary of Beatrice 'Trixie' MacDonald, New Waterford

On Saturday, February 24, 2024, Beatrice Marguerite (Trixie) MacDonald passed away quietly in her sleep. She spent the previous days surrounded by much of her family and loved ones, under the care of the wonderful staff of the Victoria General Palliative Care ward and the IMCU at the Queen Elizabeth II Hospital.

Trixie was born August 20, 1941, to her parents, Raymond and Anna Belle (Rankin) Nicol. She grew up with her sister Nancy in a close-knit neighbourhood in Whitney Pier.

She attended Xavier Junior College in Sydney, where she met the love of her life and future husband, Lawlor MacDonald. Trixie furthered her studies in Halifax where she trained in the emerging field of Medical Laboratory Technology.

She began her career at St Rita’s Hospital in Sydney then moved to New Waterford when she married Lawlor in 1964, where she spent most of the rest of her life.  She worked for over 30 years in the lab at the New Waterford Consolidated Hospital with a wonderful lab team.

Trixie was an active volunteer and leader in the community. Among the many activities she was involved with, a few stand out for her deep and long-term commitment. She was a talented orator and public speaker and used those skills to serve as a lector at the former Saint Agnes church for decades. She also did colour commentary on the radio throughout the 1970s for the Rotary and Columbian balls in New Waterford. 

When Trixie discovered there was no local Brownie pack for her daughters to join, she started up one on her own. So many girls wanted to join that it became a double pack. As girls aged out, she continued by starting a Guide park and eventually a Pathfinder pack, while also serving as the District Commissioner for the area for many years.

Trixie was on the founding board of Maple Hill Manor as a driving force that enabled it to open. She remained actively involved in overseeing its operation for over 40 years, including serving terms as Executive Secretary, Vice-Chair, and Board Chair. She retired from the Board in 2014.

Trixie was a loving and involved mother to her three children: Christy, who she mentored as a fellow mother; Nicole, with whom she shared a special bond and a home until she moved into long-term care; and Ray, who will always be her beloved baby boy, even as she grew so proud of the man he became. She loved being a grandmother to Sarah and Annabelle from the first time she held them to watching them develop into successful young women.

Trixie loved animals, especially family dogs throughout her life, including Max but also Pongo, Ginger, and Rinky in the decades prior and all her grand-dogs.

Trixie spent her last few months in long-term care and her last few weeks in hospital. All the staff treated her so kindly and with so much respect. Her family will be eternally grateful to them for her care, particularly to the 4^th floor staff at St Vincent’s, the staff in the IMCU at the QEII, the Palliative Care ward at the VG, and the chaplaincy staff.

Trixie is survived by her children, Christy (Derek) Linders in Halifax, Nicole in New Waterford, and Ray (Rhonda Lee) in Westmount; her grandchildren, Sarah Linders (Shane Forbrigger) in Halifax and Annabelle Linders in Ottawa; her sister, Nancy MacDonald; brother-in-law, Buddy (Marilyn) MacDonald; sisters-in-law, Joanne Abel and Marian MacDonald, as well as her special cousin, Margot Swetnam and many nieces and nephews.

Besides her husband, Lawlor, she was predeceased by her parents, her parents-in-law, Tom and Essie MacDonald, and her brother-in-law, Meaghan MacDonald.

Visitation will be held at V.J. McGillivray Funeral Home, 380 Smith Street, New Waterford on Thursday, February 29 from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m.  A Funeral Mass will take place in the Parish Church of St. Leonard, Mount Carmel Avenue, on Friday, March 1^st at 10 a.m. with Father Godwin Obike officiating. Reception to follow at the Knights of Columbus Hall, New Waterford. Burial will be held in St. Agnes Cemetery at a later date.

Family Flowers only, please. Donations in her memory can be made to Maple Hill Manor, the T. Lawlor MacDonald Memorial Bursary at Breton Education Centre, the local SPCA or a charity of your choice. Online expressions of sympathy may be sent to the family at: www.vjmcgillivray.ca.