Judith M. (McGrath) O’Donnell
1938-2018
O’Donnell, Judith M. (McGrath) of Antigonish died peacefully
on 19 November, 2018, surrounded by loved ones at the R.K. MacDonald
Nursing Home 25 days after the death of her beloved husband,
Jack.
She leaves to mourn her son, John (Nancy LaRose) of Cole
Harbour, NS; son, Christopher (Carrie Redpath) of Prospect Bay, NS;
daughter, Lynn (Wayne Johnson) of Malignant Cove, NS; seven beloved
grandchildren (her “Seven Angels”), Bridget, Clara,
Ella, Kathryn, Annie, Fiona, and Jessica. She was
predeceased by her parents, Kevin and Nita McGrath, and by her beloved
husband of 57 years, Jack O’Donnell.
Judy graduated from Mount Saint Bernard College, StFX, in
1958. Following university, she worked for two years in
adoption and foster home services in St. John’s,
Newfoundland, with the Department of Welfare. She then moved to
Spokane, Washington, where she worked in adoption and foster home
services with Catholic Charities. In 1962, a little over a year after
her marriage, she moved back to Nova Scotia, settling in
Antigonish. In the early 1970’s, she helped to
establish a workshop for mentally challenged adults at CAMR (now
CACL), eventually becoming Program Director. In 1976, realizing a need
for residential services in the Antigonish area, she became the
driving force behind the founding of a Board of Directors that would
go on to establish L’Arche Antigonish.
Judy played a key role in founding the Antigonish Creative
Dance Association, served on the Antigonish Recreation Commission, and
worked with the then Nova Scotia Department of Recreation to found the
Antigonish Town and County Arts & Crafts Association. She was
also a member of St. Ninian’s Cathedral Choir and was
involved for many years with the Antigonish Town & County Food
Bank.
Amongst family and friends, Judy will be remembered as an
amazing host and cook, as a great story-teller, as a proud
Newfoundlander, and as the coordinator of a social network that had a
reach and a depth far greater than anything that could possibly have
been achieved using Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. In her
later years, she discovered and made great use of email as a means of
communicating, while continuing to write letters and cards to family
members and friends all over the world. She also loved and
took great care of the wildlife that frequently visited the home she
shared with Jack on the Mahoneys Beach Road. From birds to
bears, fawns to foxes, all creatures great and small felt welcomed on
the O’Donnell property, thanks to Judy’s legendary
gift of hospitality.
As per Judy’s wishes, her family will organize a
small private family funeral liturgy, and burial will place at a later
date in St Mary’s Cemetery, Kings ’s Cove,
Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland. The Celebration of Life that
was being planned for her husband, Jack, will now be a celebration for
both Judy and Jack on Sunday, December 2nd,
7:00 p.m. at St. Ninian’s Cathedral in
Antigonish.
Judy’s family wishes to recognize the excellent and
compassionate care she received from the following medical, spiritual
care, and other professionals during her illness: Dr. Maude MacInnis
and Dr. David Brake; Celeste DeCoste and Earth Angels Home Care; Fr.
Andrew Boyd; and the wonderful nursing and other staff at the R.K.
MacDonald Nursing Home who provided such beautiful and loving care to
Judy and her family in her final days.
In Memoriam, donations in memory of Judy may be made to
L’Arche Antigonish or to the Antigonish Community Food
Bank.
Funeral arrangements entrusted to C.L. Curry Funeral Home,
Antigonish.
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Judith McGrath O’Donnell 19382018..
Death notice for the town of: Antigonish, Province: Nova Scotia