Obituary of Alice Mary MacDonald

March 12, 1922 – Eston, Saskatchewan

October 30, 2024 – Didsbury, Alberta

Alice Mary MacDonald (nee Vigneron) of Carstairs, AB, passed away on Wednesday, October 30, 2024, at the age of 102 years.

She will be lovingly remembered by her daughter, Lynne (Garry); grandsons, Murray (Allison) and Dean (Crystal); her great-granddaughter, Gwen; and her daughter-in-law, Lesley MacDonald.  Alice was predeceased by her parents, Bessie and Frank Vigneron, and her husband, Gordon, of 46 years, and her son, Gary.

Alice was born in Eston, SK, and grew up on a farm near McMorran, SK. At age sixteen, she moved with her parents to Vancouver, BC, as her dad suffered from asthma, and they thought the Vancouver climate would help.  Unfortunately, her dad passed away soon after.

In 1946, Alice met and married Gordon MacDonald, and they had two children, Gary and Lynne. In 1961, Gordon was transferred to Calgary as the manager of Bekins Moving and Storage.

In 1967, Alice began to volunteer by transcribing textbooks into Braille for blind students. She loved it and was very passionate about doing it for 45 years. Alice was very creative in finding better ways to help blind students, who at that time didn’t have braille textbooks in the schools to help them learn. She eventually specialized by manually making math diagrams, which involved using different kinds of textures in the braille textbooks so that students could better understand what was being taught. The students loved it, as they had never “seen” pictures before. Alice was a pioneer in that regard.

In 1973, Alice was named Volunteer of the Year in Calgary for her commitment and dedication to the blind community by transcribing Braille for students. Queen Elizabeth II and His Royal Highness, The Duke of Edinburgh, came to Calgary on a Royal tour at that time, and Alice was invited to dine with the Queen at the Palliser Hotel (along with other dignitaries). Alice felt very honoured. Then, in 1976, she received an Alberta Achievement Award in the “Service Award” category.

In 1980, Gordon retired, and they then moved to Carstairs.  They were very involved in the community and enjoyed small-town living.

Throughout Alice’s life, she also enjoyed gardening, reading, painting with watercolours, playing the piano and keyboard for the Drifters in Carstairs, playing bridge and canasta, playing Scrabble on her computer with friends, playing with her grandchildren Murray and Dean, travelling with their RV in the U.S., and RVing at Lynne and Garry’s cabin.

Remember Alice with love and laughter. 

A private family gathering will take place at a later date. 

If friends so desire, memorial tributes may be made directly to the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Alberta, 200, 119 – 14^th Street N.W., Calgary, AB T2N 1Z6 Telephone: (403) 264-5549, www.heartandstroke.ca, or to the A.L.S. Society of Alberta (Lou Gehrig’s Disease), 7874 – 10^th Street N.E., Calgary, AB T2E 8W1, www.alsab.ca, or to a charity of your choice. 

Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared and viewed with Alice’s family here.

In living memory of Alice MacDonald, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Airdrie, 300 Towerlane Drive, Airdrie, AB T4B 3L8, Telephone: 403-948-1100.