- Born on: November 27, 1938
- Departed on: January 12, 2019
- Resided in: Brighton, IA
Mary McDonald
Mary Etta McDonald, age 80, of Brighton, passed away Saturday, January 12, 2019 at the M. L. McCreedy Home in Washington after a brief illness.
Celebration of life services will be held at 11:00 am on Thursday, January 17, 2019 at the Brighton United Church with Pastor Rick Zickefoose officiating. The family will receive friends from 10:00 am until 11:00 am Thursday morning at the Brighton United Church. Interment will be held at Hillcrest Cemetery in Brighton. In lieu of flowers, memorials have been established to the Compassus Hospice of Washington and the Washington County Humane Society.
Mary Etta Bender was born November 27, 1938 in Afton, Iowa, to parents Donald Wayne and Pearl Dawn (Curl) Bender. Her family moved to Washington after the death of their father who was killed in a farming accident in 1949. She attended grade school in Creston, Iowa prior to moving to Washington. She was united in marriage to her high school sweetheart, Robert (Bob) McDonald, Jr. on December 29, 1955. Together they had three children.
Early in her marriage, Mary Etta was a homemaker and she used her creative talents to do many things including sewing square dancing skirts, petticoats, blouses and many of her children’s clothes. In later years she enjoyed making costumes for the Walnut, Illinois Community Theater, and also making clothes for her many China dolls. Other hobbies included knitting, crocheting, traveling, camping, reading, refinishing antiques, wintering in Texas, and having coffee with her friends. She worked as a store clerk, cashier and bookkeeper for the Handy Pantry in Washington, Booth’s Grocery in Brighton and Brighton Appliance and most recently as an inserter for the Washington Evening Journal. She loved spending time with her family, friends and her many beloved dogs over the years. She was a member of the United Church of Brighton and various community clubs.
Mary Etta is survived by her children: Robert Michael “Mike” McDonald and wife Gerry of Brighton; Daniel Bruce McDonald of Glenwood; and Kimberly Kay Geguzis and husband Chris of North Liberty, IA. Brothers: Dean Bender and wife Mary of Eldridge and Larry Bender and friend Patricia of Davenport; sister-in-law, Louis Ann (McDonald) Crossett and husband Duane of Washington; brother-in-law, Larry Steenhoek of Monroe; and many nieces and nephews; grandchild, Meghan (Hammen) Cooley and husband Scott; step- grandchildren: Rob Hunt and wife Marcia, Kurtis Hunt and wife Jon’el, Victoria Hunt, Brandon Hunt and wife Kara, Tad Hunt and wife Andrea, and Kyleigh Geguzis; two great-grandchildren; and ten step-great-grandchildren.
Mary Etta was preceded in death by her husband in 2009; her parents; an infant brother; two sisters-in-law; and one brother-in-law.
Celebration of life services will be held at 11:00 am on Thursday, January 17, 2019 at the Brighton United Church with Pastor Rick Zickefoose officiating. The family will receive friends from 10:00 am until 11:00 am Thursday morning at the Brighton United Church. Interment will be held at Hillcrest Cemetery in Brighton. In lieu of flowers, memorials have been established to the Compassus Hospice of Washington and the Washington County Humane Society.
Mary Etta Bender was born November 27, 1938 in Afton, Iowa, to parents Donald Wayne and Pearl Dawn (Curl) Bender. Her family moved to Washington after the death of their father who was killed in a farming accident in 1949. She attended grade school in Creston, Iowa prior to moving to Washington. She was united in marriage to her high school sweetheart, Robert (Bob) McDonald, Jr. on December 29, 1955. Together they had three children.
Early in her marriage, Mary Etta was a homemaker and she used her creative talents to do many things including sewing square dancing skirts, petticoats, blouses and many of her children’s clothes. In later years she enjoyed making costumes for the Walnut, Illinois Community Theater, and also making clothes for her many China dolls. Other hobbies included knitting, crocheting, traveling, camping, reading, refinishing antiques, wintering in Texas, and having coffee with her friends. She worked as a store clerk, cashier and bookkeeper for the Handy Pantry in Washington, Booth’s Grocery in Brighton and Brighton Appliance and most recently as an inserter for the Washington Evening Journal. She loved spending time with her family, friends and her many beloved dogs over the years. She was a member of the United Church of Brighton and various community clubs.
Mary Etta is survived by her children: Robert Michael “Mike” McDonald and wife Gerry of Brighton; Daniel Bruce McDonald of Glenwood; and Kimberly Kay Geguzis and husband Chris of North Liberty, IA. Brothers: Dean Bender and wife Mary of Eldridge and Larry Bender and friend Patricia of Davenport; sister-in-law, Louis Ann (McDonald) Crossett and husband Duane of Washington; brother-in-law, Larry Steenhoek of Monroe; and many nieces and nephews; grandchild, Meghan (Hammen) Cooley and husband Scott; step- grandchildren: Rob Hunt and wife Marcia, Kurtis Hunt and wife Jon’el, Victoria Hunt, Brandon Hunt and wife Kara, Tad Hunt and wife Andrea, and Kyleigh Geguzis; two great-grandchildren; and ten step-great-grandchildren.
Mary Etta was preceded in death by her husband in 2009; her parents; an infant brother; two sisters-in-law; and one brother-in-law.
