Margaretta Frey MacDonald

Born to Patrick and Gretta Dunphy on May 29, 1921, Margaretta Frey MacDonald lived to be a remarkable 100 years of age. Except for a brief period, she lived her entire life in West Seattle, attending both Holy Rosary Grade and High Schools, West Seattle High School and Seattle College (University). During World War II, she began her career as a telephone operator for Pacific Northwest Bell where she continued to work, both part and full time, until her retirement in 1976. After retirement, she was active in the Seattle chapter of the Telephone Pioneers.

On December 26, 1947, Marg married Oscar Frey and the two of them immediately undertook the considerable task of building their own home in the Fauntleroy area of West Seattle. It has always been a source of amusement that they chose the house plans from a magazine at the drugstore. Their first daughter, Kathleen, was born in January 1949, only one week after the furnace was installed. When daughter Colleen was born in January 1951, the house was nearing completion. By the time son Patrick was born in 1955, Marg was already thinking of ways that they could remodel the house and envisioning the furniture that Oscar could build for it. In the early 1960’s, they purchased property at Lost Lake near Shelton, Washington, where they built a small cabin. Friends and family fondly remember many weekends and family get togethers spent at “Frey’s Noisy Nook”.

An avid seamstress, Marg loved making clothes for her daughters. It was said that the Frey girls were the only ones in the neighborhood who wore matching dresses, petticoats, and pinafores to play in the sandbox. She also sewed for her nieces and later for her grandchildren. She loved reading and doing the daily crossword puzzles in the newspaper

During the years following Oscar’s death in 1979, Marg enjoyed caring for her grandchildren and traveling with both Patrick and Colleen’s families. In 1992 she met and married Cliff MacDonald. In Cliff, Marg found a new life companion with the bonus of another home to decorate.

Marg was always active in the parishes to which she belonged. She taught catechism at Holy Family and brought communion to the sick. After her retirement, she was a volunteer tutor at Our Lady of Guadalupe school.

Margaretta was preceded in death by her husband Oscar Frey (1979), her second husband, Cliff MacDonald (1998) and her sister, Mary Patricia Vinson (2013). She is survived by daughters Kathleen Duncan – Ridgefield, WA. and Colleen Chamberlain (Doug) – Seattle, WA. as well as son, Patrick Frey (Penny) -- Kent, WA, six grandchildren, seven great grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews. Margaretta is also survived by stepchildren Robert MacDonald, Claudia Wicks, Linda Cook, Marilyn Runolfson, and Charles MacDonald.

There will be a memorial Mass at 9 am on May 27, 2022, at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. Reception details will be announced at a later date. Donations can be made to the Our Lady of Guadalupe School Fund Drive at Our Lady of Guadalupe School Fund.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.forestlawn-seattle.com for the Frey- MacDonald family.