Violet Catherine McDonald's Obituary
MCDONALD, VIOLET CATHERINE NAGLE born July 14, 1923, in Brooklyn, New York to John Nagle and Anna Marie McCauley Nagle. She lived in Brooklyn until her enlistment in the United States Navy in 1943, during World War II. She received naval instruction at the University of Indiana, Bloomington, and was then stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, from 1944 until her discharge. While stationed in Hawaii, she met the love of her life, Frank Leslie McDonald. They married on Memorial Day 1946 and lived in Hawaii until their return to the mainland in 1952. Her life’s work thereafter was the care and nurturing of her husband, three children (Leslie Ann, Patrice Evelyn, and Frank Leslie III) and her community. She volunteered at St. Monica’s Church and Presbyterian and St. Paul Hospitals for more than thirty years. Violet was an authentic patriot. On election day you could find her working her local polling place. She attended and was honored at the opening of the Women in the Military Memorial, Washington, D.C. and remained informed about local, national and international affairs. Violet understood that her life was one branch of a larger tree. She spent many years exploring, recording and preserving our family’s story, one of many gifts that she leaves us and future generations. People, family, and intellectual conversation were her passions. She loved the City of Dallas, her home for forty years, and was a dedicated fan of “The Mavs” and the Dallas Cowboys. After her husband’s passing in 1981, her sister and sister-in-law, Patricia Jane McKenna and Ruth Carney, were her closest friends and confidants. She was close to all of her nieces and nephews, never forgetting birthdays and graduations. Despite the fact they were scattered throughout the country, she stayed in frequent contact with each of them and loved them dearly. She loved and was so proud of her seven grandchildren and included her grandson- and grand-daughter-in-law in that number. Her grandchildren’s interests became her own, or perhaps vice versa. She loved discussing basketball and football with her grandson, and politics, fashion, cooking and nutrition with her granddaughters. She is survived by her children: Leslie Ann Pepper (husband, Jack), Patrice McDonald (partner, Edward M. Schulze, Jr.) and Frank L. McDonald III. She has 5 grandchildren: Margery Reese Ochsner (husband, Chris), Ian Frank Rudebusch (wife, Elaine), Catherine Seguin Pepper, Catherine Alice Rudebusch and Maddy Elizabeth McDonald. There are beloved nieces and nephews. The family will receive friends on Saturday Dec. 29, 2012, from 10:00 a.m. until time of funeral services at 10:30 a.m. at the St. Catherine Chapel at St. Paul Hospital (Southwestern Medical Center) 5939 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas. Burial will follow at a later date at the United States National Cemetery, Arlington, Texas. In lieu of flowers, those that wish may direct memorial contributions to Seton Residences, 9200 New Harmony Roas, Evansville, Indiana, 47720-8938, or a charity of choice.
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