Mrs. Mary Agnes McDonald

Mary Agnes McDonald passed away peacefully on the morning of Sunday, September 22, 2013 at the age of 95 from complications of old age and Parkinson's disease. She was known for her generous heart, great hair, impeccable appearance, incredible spirit, spunk, and devotion to her family, friends, and her church. She was born on March 4, 1918 to Bernard and Collette Geier in Avalon, Pennsylvania. She was the fifth of eight siblings and loved her family dearly. She met her future husband, Dale McDonald, when she visited her older brother, Bob Geier, in Santa Ana, California. They were devotedly married 60 years before Dale died in 1998. They lived in Pasadena for about ten years and then moved to Anaheim, California where she was Carl Karcher's (Carl's Jr.) assistant for 10+ years as well as a very dear friend. Mary and Dale doted on their only child, Patricia Ann, instilling in her their shared values. Patty married Curt Gardner and shortly after their first child was born moved to Fresno in 1969. It wasn't long before Dale and Mary followed, one small example of Mary's love for her family. In Fresno, Mary was a successful real estate agent loved and respected by her many colleagues and clients. She won 'Realtor of the Year' and 'Bishop Steinbock' awards among others and was committed to making her clients and friends happy. Mary cherished her family, enjoyed traveling, and loved spending time with family and friends. Rarely did she miss church on Sunday and she was very involved with St. Anthony's Queen of the Holy Family Guild, Knights of Columbus and Catholic Charities. Her smile, sincere kindness, and passion dazzled everyone she met. Mary had three grandchildren who loved her dearly and that she thought the world of: Michael, Karen, and Julia. She was overjoyed to travel to each of their weddings and felt she hit the jackpot seven times with her seven great grandchildren, Tyler, Trevor, Trent, Thomas, Henry, Quincy and Laney. She was a parishioner of St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church from 1969 until she moved to Fairwinds Retirement home about 10 years ago. She then attended Holy Spirit Catholic Church. She is survived by two younger sisters; her only daughter and her husband, Pat and Curt Gardner; three grandchildren, Michael, Karen, Julia and their spouses, Christine, Patrick and Tom; and seven great-grandchildren Tyler, Trevor, Trent, Henry, Laney, Thomas and Quincy. For the past eight years she has been loved, and well taken care of, by her nurturing caregivers from Right at Home. (They were her 'adopted' granddaughters.)

Visitation will be held at Whitehurst, Sullivan, Burns & Blair Funeral Home on Monday, September 30, 2013, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. followed by a Vigil Service at 7:00 p.m.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church on Tuesday, October 1, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. Interment will follow at St. Peter's Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers remembrances may be made to Right to Life.