Olive Mae Donaldson

See you later Alligator.....

Maisie Donaldson passed away on Tuesday March 27, 2012 in Comox BC only a few short weeks after her 89th birthday, and 20 years after the death of her husband, Denny Donaldson. Up until the day she died she maintained her feisty independence. Her sense of humor and her ability to speak her mind with candor and wit never waivered.

Maisie devoted her life to her only son Barrie (Karin) Donaldson, her 5 grandchildren Jennifer (James) Cox, Jason (Sue-Anne) Donaldson, Jeenet Marchetti (Mike), Cortney Donaldson (Tyler) and Shelby Donaldson (Chip) and her 7 great-grandchildren, Matthew, Jonathan, Ryland, Gavin, Eli, Quinn and Lily.

The daughter of Olive Mae (Arnette) and Clarence Howard, Maisie was born in Toronto, ON on March 7th 1923. She was named Olive Mae Howard, but everyone called her Maisie, a nickname given to her by her twin brother, Clarence (Sonny). As a child and young adult Maisie was active in sports. Her beauty turned heads and her competitive nature put her at the top of whatever activity she took part in. She served in the WRNS (Women’s Royal Naval Service), an organization founded to challenge the traditionally male armed forces. It was in this role that she met and married Denny Donaldson, a pilot whose posting to Comox moved her to the valley in 1960.

Maisie is predeceased by her parents, her twin-brother Clarence Howard, and her sister Norma Reid. She leaves behind her dearly loved sister Audra Lamb of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, nieces Heather and Melanie and nephew Martin.

For many years she was an avid golfer. Even when she stopped participating actively, Maisie maintained her passion watching and cheering her favorite game on television. Up until her mid-seventies she’d rise with the sun for a power walk at goose spit or a round of golf before heading for coffee with friends or home to knit a sweater or a blanket out of patterns too complicated for many.