On behalf of Ann and myself, offer our sympathy of Joe’s passing as he was both remarkable friend and counsel.
Whatever the occasion, Joe obliged thoughtful inspiration and compassion for which we remain grateful.
On a lighter note:
- admired how successful his “fishing trips” were - subsequently revelation via Fishermen’s Market!
- perhaps even more so was his pride in gardening; especially assessment of pending annual corn crop.
We will miss you Joe.

Sincerely,   
Ann and Tom Murdoch

My condolences to Georgette and family. May your father's memory be a blessing.

Extending my deepest condolences to you and your family.
I had the pleasure of meeting Joe while I was employed at the McInnes Cooper library. From time to time, he would visit the library seeking assistance in locating a source document or with a reference question. I always appreciated his reserved and knowledgeable manner, as well as the great reverence he held for the law.

I know I speak for all of my library colleagues when I say that it was always a pleasure to interact with Joe. He was a respected professional, and we were always glad to assist him.

Please accept my sincere condolences during this difficult time. I hope that the memories of Joe and the impact he had on those around him will bring some comfort to you and your family.

Mary-Rose Mars

I send my deepest sympathy to the family.  I practiced law in Halifax for more than 35 years, and was an admirer of Joe’s.  He was a skilled and humble man.  He showed how to conduct oneself in practice with dignity and decorum.

I was deeply saddened to learn of Joe's passing. 

I had the privilege of working for Joe at McInnes Cooper many years ago, and like so many others, I learned a great deal from him.  He possessed an extraordinary wealth of knowledge and wisdom, not only in the practice of law but on an incredible range of subjects.  I remember a colleague once saying, “Joe knows everything about everything,” and honestly, they were not wrong.

Joe was a genuinely kind, thoughtful, and generous person.  He was always exceptionally good to me, and I was very fond of him.  One of my fondest memories of Joe was hearing him speak about his children and grandchildren.  His face would light up every time he talked about them, and it was clear how deeply proud he was and how much he loved his family.

My deepest and most heartfelt sympathy goes out to Joe's family. I hope you find comfort in the many wonderful memories you shared.

I am so sorry for your loss. My thoughts are with you and your family during this difficult time.

I was saddened to hear of Joe's passing. I worked with Joe for 32 years over which time I always relied on his wisdom and his vast knowledge along with his tremendous sense of humor. He was one of those rare individuals in whom one could always trust. One of his greatest roles at the firm was as an educator. He believed in sharing his knowledge and experience and guiding each newcomer with his own brand of gruff kindness. When a smile blossomed on his face you knew you were on the path to one of the many stories he contained and that there would always be a message embedded in that story. We shall all miss him dearly.

I was privileged to practice law with Joe for almost 50 years. Joe MacDonald was a first class lawyer and recognized as such by his peers . He had a wide ranging and deep knowledge of the law especially corporate law and was one of the finest draftsman in the profession .Joe was a patient and generous mentor to associates and clerks who were constantly at his door . He had a gift for teaching and would have been a superb law professor .

On a personal note , Joe and I shared a passion for baseball and for many years we travelled to Florida to watch major league  Spring Training games . Unfortunately we were fans of different teams which were bitter rivals  - Joe was a Red Sox fan and I was a Yankees fan. Putting that rivalry aside we both loved to sit in the sun- drenched ballparks ( perhaps having a libation or two) trying to spot the next big star. I have many fond memories of those trips .

Joe was one of a kind and will be long remembered .

Sending sincere condolences to you all at this time with the passing of Joe, who I had the privilege of working with at McInnes Cooper from 1994 - to the present, he was a lovely man, who always had time for you to come into his office and was always full of stories, each and every Christmas he would always give the Corporate Services Dept a huge box of chocolates!  It really was the little things that mean so much.  As he was an avid photographer, I also love to take photos, and this is just a really rare time that he allowed me to get one of us.  I'm sure he will be sorely missed from all of your lives, I know he meant a lot to me, he was a great mentor.  Take Care, Sherri Rafuse

OBITUARY

Joseph A.F. Macdonald K.C.

10 December, 1942 – 10 August, 2026

JA Snow Funeral Home

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