Donna Jean Macneill

Heaven gained an exceptional golfer and an extraordinary soul on November 12, 2025 when Donna Jean Macneill passed away. A devoted student of the game, she approached golf with the same integrity, grace, and quiet determination that guided every part of her life. For Donna, it was never about the number on the scorecard—it was about showing up with heart, giving her best, and treating everyone around her with kindness. One of her proudest moments on the course was achieving a hole-in-one at The Lakes Golf Club in 2016, a story she loved to tell with her trademark wit and good humour.

Born to Howard and Catherine (MacDonald) Stevens, Donna cherished her early years on School Street and later Maxie Street in Glace Bay. She attended Caledonia School and graduated from Morrison High School in 1970. She was predeceased by her parents and her brother, Ronald Stevens.

Donna began her career as a ward aide at the Glace Bay General Hospital before pursuing her nursing education at St. Martha’s in Antigonish, where she earned the General Proficiency in Nursing Award in 1976. After graduation, she returned to the Glace Bay General Hospital and spent the next decade working in the Emergency Department. Her strong work ethic, steady nature, quick wit, and deep compassion earned the admiration of patients and colleagues alike.

In 1986, she married Robert Macneill, and together they made their home in Halifax, where Donna continued her work in the VG Emergency Department. She met every challenge with empathy and a calm, reassuring presence.

Becoming a mother was the greatest joy of Donna’s life. With the births of her daughters, Seonaid in 1989 and Hilary in 1992, she poured her heart into raising them. She was the kind of mother who led by example—steady, thoughtful, and endlessly caring. Her daughters knew her as their greatest champion, an unwavering source of guidance, a strong moral compass, and an endless source of love. When the family relocated to Ben Eoin in 2001, Donna helped build a beautiful, loving home for the family.

In 2008, Donna discovered her passion for golf, forming friendships on the course and embracing each round with joy. She lived by a simple truth: true friends are the ones who stand beside you in sickness, hardship, and quiet moments of need. She offered that same loyalty to others, always ready with a listening ear and honest kindness.

Donna leaves behind her husband, Robert of Ben Eoin; her daughters, Seonaid (Lyle MacKinnon) of Westmount, and Hilary (Rankin MacInnis) of Ben Eoin.

A private family service will be held at a later date. Donations in Donna’s memory may be made to the Alzheimer’s Society of Nova Scotia or the Palliative Care Unit of Cape Breton Regional Hospital.