Lucille McDonald
Lucille McDonald
Born November 15, 1928 to Belgian parents Rene and Clementine Bolle in Clare, Michigan. The youngest of 7 children, Lucille received her driver’s license at 13 years old to drive the farm truck and transport her ailing mother to medical appointments. She graduated from Clare High School at 16 years old. Lucille worked at the Houghton pharmacy until her marriage to Alger McDonald on September 9, 1949. Alger worked for Dow Chemical after serving in the Army Air Corps and receiving his college degree from Central Michigan University until his retirement in 1985. They moved to Coleman in the early ’50s. She was a reporter for the Midland Daily News, calling in events from the Coleman area and identified airplanes flying over for the U.S. Armed Services. The family moved to Midland in 1972 where she worked at Dapper-Do retail store.
She was adept at sewing, cooking, car maintenance, pickling and canning. She liked listening to the radio, attending auto shows, watching the Detroit Tigers and playtime with the family. When Alger was transferred to Lake Jackson, TX in 1981, she continued working retail there, making new friends and exploring the South. They returned to Midland after his retirement. Lucille was a long-time member of Blessed Sacrament parish where she volunteered as a funeral luncheon server, sandwich maker for summer school kids, baked and sold cinnamon rolls and more. She loved to walk, bike ride, and participate in water aerobics at the Community Center. She was a good friend and neighbor who pitched in wherever she was needed.
Lucille was preceded in death by her parents and siblings Cyriel, Lethia Wing, Margery Flick, Aleda Peters, Charles, and Walter. Her husband, Alger died in 1997. She is survived by her 6 children: Denise Cooper (Brad Showalter), Alan (Charlene Zilius), Martin (Leslie), Mary, John (Carol), and Jeffrey (Julianne). Grandmother of 11: Paul (Melissa) Cooper, Aaron (JoAnna) Cooper, Justin (Mary) Christensen-Cooper, Andrew MacDonald, Kristen MacDonald, Erin MacDonald, Brittany MacDonald (Joshua Dionne), Samantha (Sean) Lucius, Danielle MacDonald, Adam MacDonald, and Anna MacDonald. Great-grandmother, great-great grandmother and aunt to many, many more.
The family wishes to thank Bickford of Midland for the care their mother received for the last three years, and Americans Home Health and Hospice Care, especially Jarod Miller, RN. The Funeral Mass for Lucille will take place at 11 a.m. Saturday, October 4, 2025 at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 3109 Swede Avenue, with Father Rob Howe officiating. Her family will receive friends at the church on Saturday from 10 a.m. until the time of Mass.
In lieu of flowers, Lucille requested donations to the Senior Services of Midland County or the Tony and Trish House.