Singer of songs, dancer of dances, and arriver of the last minute, Phyllis Marie (MacEachen) MacDonald of Port Hood died on December 21, 2025 peacefully at the Inverary Manor in Inverness with her family by her side. She will be sorely missed by her family, friends and community of which she was so much a part.
Mom saw the good and the potential in people, traits that perhaps drew her to a career in education where she taught and encouraged young minds. She attended Nova Scotia Teachers College in 1963 and began her teaching career in Calgary before returning to Port Hood in 1969 where she taught at Port Hood Consolidated until her retirement in 1998. She also worked hard as a co-owner (and enthusiastic taste-tester) of MacDonald’s Ice Cream Barn which employed not only her own children but numerous students in the community over the years.
Above all Mom was a person of great faith. A devout Catholic she was the director of the St Peter’s Parish Children’s Choir, the St Peter’s Parish Choir, a soloist for mass at St. Peter’s Parish, and a longtime member of the CWL. Life and music went hand-in-hand for Mom. She had a wide-ranging appreciation of all genres and could be found humming along to everything from her favorite opera to her beloved traditional Celtic tunes. She regularly attended square dances and did not hesitate to drag her sometimes (often?) reluctant children onto the dance floor. She was a member of the Inverness County Singers and the Gaelic Choir. Each year she choreographed the Grand March for the graduating class of the Port Hood Consolidated school, spinning us all in elaborate wheels and promenades as graduates said their farewells.
Mom had a flair for the dramatic and loved color, especially accessories. She always said she didn’t feel dressed without her jewelry. “Has anyone seen my earrings?!” was a frequently asked frantic query to the household in a flurry of preparation with barely minutes to spare. She will be remembered for her generous spirit, welcoming manner, her distinct laugh and vibrancy, and of course her most requested menu item - her famous fudge.
Survived by children, Rosalie (Terry) in New Westminster BC, Donia (Ken) in St. John’s NL, Nathan (Raquel) in Toronto ON, Nicholas in Halifax, and Christopher (Maddy) in Abu Dhabi UAE; grandchildren, Matthew and Rafael; siblings Josephine Higgins in Sidney, BC, Marian MacDonald in Wayland, MA, Jeanette MacNeil in Port Hood and Donald (Judy) MacEachen in Long Point; in-laws Margie (Cliff) Holder in Truro, Lewis Macdonald in Inverness, Morag Graham in Judique, Donald Andrew (Imelda) Macdonald in Halifax, Lynn MacDonald in Halifax, and Shirley Scott in Sydney, along with and many nieces and nephews. Predeceased by her husband Ranald; parents Dan Joe and Ida (Delehanty) MacEachen, sisters Donna, Maureen, and Lorna; in-laws Ron Higgins, Ronald MacDonald, Cyril MacNeil, Allan MacDonald, Gerry Graham, Flora (Bill) McLaughlin, Graeme MacDonald; nieces Michelle and Renee Grandmaison, Natasha MacEachen, and nephew Allan Andrew MacDonald.
Visitation will be at Port Hood and Area Resting Place on Sunday January 04 from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm and from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm followed by a Funeral Mass in St. Peter’s Church, Port Hood on Monday January 05 at 11:00 am.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Inverary Manor in Inverness or the Chestico Museum in Port Hood. The family wishes to extend heartfelt thanks to the staff of the Inverary Manor who took such wonderful care of our mother in her final years.
Online condolences may be made to: www.invernessfuneralhome.com
