Roderick Bernard ‘Roddie”s Obituary
MacDONNELL, Roderick Bernard ‘Roddie’ – Passed away peacefully at the Greater Niagara General Hospital on Wednesday, February 5, 2020, at the age of 87. Predeceased by his beloved wife of 57 years, Lillian ‘Rita’ (nee MacDonald) (2016). Loving father of Bernard (Sharon), Gary and Kelly (Rob) Sutherland. Cherished grandfather of Joshua (Becca), Alex, Marshall (Becca), Sam and Maggie. Dear brother of Colena MacMillan, Lawrence (Charlotte) MacDonell and Annie MacLellan. Predeceased by his brothers, John A., Donald, Malkie, Alexander, Angus, John Francis, Alex Duncan (A.D.), Jerome and Collie, and by his sisters, Margie MacDonald, Mary Janet MacMillan, Rita McClinchey and Cassie Taylor.
Rod was born in Inverness County, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia to John Andrew and Mary Cassie MacDonnell. He was the 14th of seventeen children. He described fond memories of his youth in Mabou, working on the family farm, getting into trouble with his brothers and enjoying the many dances and house parties of the area, where he met the love of his life, Rita, for the first time. Jobs were not plentiful in Cape Breton and Rod left home in 1952 to find work. His travels took him to Quebec and Ontario where he found a variety of jobs, including working as a deckhand on the steamships of the Great Lakes and steel rigger tunneling in Niagara Falls where he helped build one of the tunnels that moves water from the Niagara River to the Sir Adam Beck power plant.
Rod eventually joined his brothers, A.D. and Alexander in Sudbury where he worked in the mines of northern Ontario ‘shaft sinking’. It was here that he and Rita crossed paths again when Rod’s brother, A.D., married Rita’s sister, Frances. Rod saw Rita at the wedding and it was “Love all over again”. Rod and Rita were married in 1958 and settled in Temagami where their two sons, Bernie and Gary, were born. They moved to Niagara Falls in 1965 when Rod was hired at General Motors. It was here that they bought their first house and their daughter, Kelly, was born. Niagara Falls remained Rod’s home until his passing. When not working at GM, Rod loved to spend his free time staying fully informed on current events, attending dances in Toronto with Rita, running to keep fit, and his favourite – driving. Rod had a real love of cars – fixing them, driving them, or telling people about them – he could answer almost any question you had about a vehicle, whether GM, Ford or Chrysler. Rod retired from his job as a tow motor operator at GM in 1993.
Always a great ‘handy-man’, Rod busied himself in retirement collecting and recycling scrap metal. He always liked to have extra cash in his pocket, which he was eager to spend taking his friends and family out for dinner. Rod and Rita enjoyed travelling throughout Canada and the U.S. over the years, but going ‘home’ to Cape Breton was always their favourite vacation plan, where Rod could reconnect with family and friends, enjoy lots of tea, biscuits and country cheese, and demonstrate his prodigious step-dancing skills. Sadly, Rod lost his vision in 2005, but continued to live life to the fullest extent possible, enjoying visits with friends and family, especially his grandchildren, keeping fit on his treadmill and, of course, staying up-to-date on the daily CNN coverage.
Rod was fortunate to be able to remain in his own home with the support of his son, Gary, until his admission to hospital three weeks and five days prior to his passing. A loving and supportive husband, father, brother and friend, he will be dearly missed.
Family and friends are invited to call at the PATTERSON FUNERAL HOME, 6062 Main St. Niagara Falls, visiting Saturday, February 8, 2020 from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 1 pm at St. Thomas More Church. The Rite of Committal will follow at Fairview Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The St. Vincent de Paul Society, in memory of Rod. Online condolences at www.pattersonfuneralhome.com
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Roderick Bernard ‘Roddie’ MacDonnell May 03 1932 February 05 2020..
Death notice for the town of: Toronto, Province: Ontario