Anita MacDonald
In Honor and Memory of Anita MacDonald
“Independent to fault,” Anita’s daughter, Heather, says about her mother with a smile.
Raising Heather as a single mom, Anita had a strong conviction that there wasn’t any problem or obstacle she couldn’t work around. The physical therapists who worked with Anita throughout the years agreed: the ways that Anita had learned to adapt physically were absolutely “amazing”. When her lack of leg strength meant she couldn’t drive herself around, Anitamattempted to learn to drive without use of her legs!
Anita adored travel and often went camping with Heather and even took her parents to Europe. She was always hungry for information on any topic, from prosthetic limbs to breeds of dogs. She would exclaim, “Well, that’s interesting!” – a phrase Heather finds herself saying often.
Anita attended countless seminars and classes at the continuous care center that was home in her later years. A huge fan of crafts, she taught herself card-marking in her 70s.
Gardening and floral arrangements lit up Anita’s life, and she made sure she always had flowers around (especially peonies, her favorites). When real flowers weren’t available, faux or silk would do the trick!
Anita also loved genealogy and collected information on her family lineage and photographs from the past.
Although her mother had a full and vibrant life, Heather explains, Anita often felt, “Wouldn’t it be nice if other people didn’t have to go through what I did.” Anita knew she wanted to make a special gift to science a full three decades before her passing, ultimately deciding to donate to the National MS Brain Bank – now isn’t that interesting!
