Roberta Nesbit McDonald

She died Friday, July 9, 2010, at her home in Baton Rouge, surrounded by family members, as a result of complications from kidney cancer. She was born Oct. 4, 1931, in Baton Rouge, attended public schools, graduating from Baton Rouge High School and receiving an accounting degree from LSU. She was a member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority, Mortar Board, Beta Alpha Psi, Alpha Beta Chi, Who's Who, Purple Jackets and Panhellenic Council treasurer while attending LSU. While working as a secretary at Esso Standard Oil, she met and started dating a young chemical engineer, Michael F. McDonald, from Missouri, in June, 1954. They were married Dec. 28, 1954. Bobbie and Mike were married more than 55 years, had three children, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Bobbie was a homemaker until her children were in college, when she took jobs as census worker, insurance broker and accountant for the state of Louisiana. She was a volunteer for such activities as room mother and tutor at Melrose Elementary, Cub Scout den mother, St. Vincent de Paul, Mary Bird Perkins and Our Lady of Mercy Church. She was a generous donor to the Food Bank, Salvation Army, Mary Bird Perkins, St. Vincent de Paul, Catholic Charities, Our Lady of Mercy Church and LSU professorships, scholarships, hotel, museum and alumni center. She was preceded in death by her parents, Edward Burden Nesbit and Pearl Eloise Peltier. She is survived by her husband, Michael F. McDonald; children, Catherine McDonald Dardenne, Carol McDonald Giurintano and Michael F. McDonald Jr.; sons-in-law, John "Jay" Dardenne and Keith Giurintano; daughter-in-law, JoAnn McDonald; grandchildren, John and Matthew Dardenne, Scott Giurintano, Kelley McDonald, Andrea McDonald Ocmond and Theresa McDonald; great-grandchildren, Alexander and Patrick Ocmond; sister, Juanita Nesbit Metz; and nieces, Mary Sue Dornier and Elizabeth Demars. Visitation at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church on Monday, July 12, from 9 a.m. until Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m., celebrated by the Rev. Paul Yi, followed by interment in Roselawn Cemetery. Pallbearers will be John and Matthew Dardenne, Scott Giurintano, Cullen Ocmond, Gustavo Ruiz de Chavez and Leonard Werner. Honorary pallbearers are Dr. Judd Patten, Jay Dardenne, Keith Giurintano and board members of the Tara Civic Association. Thanks to Greater Baton Rouge Hospice, Mary Bird Perkins and Our Lady of the Lake Medical Center and sitters Cynthia Marchand and Erica Prater. Arrangements by Rabenhorst Funeral Home, 825 Government St.