Edith Nancy Macdonald

Born June 16, 1923, in New York City to Louis and Edith (Korony) Hachenberg. Nancy, the eldest of 3 daughters, had an idyllic childhood growing up in Wood-Ridge, New Jersey, a bedroom community for New York city. A lively and energetic girl, she shared her passion for entertaining with her group of friends, performed plays in the basement, sold lemonade at “The Polka Dot,” and spent summers in Edgewater, NY, swimming, sunning and ‘playing tennis.’ In high school, Nancy was a cheerleader, captain of the Drama and Dance Club, and an A student. She followed High School with Trenton State Teachers College where she majored in Phys Ed.

A dancer from childhood, Nancy performed in summer stock at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, NJ and at the South Shore Music Circus in Cohasset, MA and opened her own dance studio. Near the end of WWII Nancy joined the USO and toured through the South Pacific, performing in camp shows for the troops. A secret documentarian, Nancy filmed many of her experiences, thrilling her children with the 8mm home movies from her working days – sharing her histories such as ‘the time the tent blew down!’ She returned to New York, working on Broadway, in regional theatres, and as a lead dancer in the first national tours of Broadway hits Oklahoma! and The Pajama Game. “Bear”, her dancer nickname, was also part of the ‘Golden Age of Television’ appearing live on TV commercials, variety shows and industrial shows, all while continuing to teach the next generation of dancers.

Nancy met Malcolm Hugh Macdonald in Toronto, she with a Broadway touring company and he as a medical resident at St. Michael’s Hospital. They married in July of 1957 in New York City, where they raised their first child before moving back to Malcolm’s home town of Saskatoon a year later. Much to Nancy’s surprise, Saskatoon was the flattest thing she had ever seen and a big change from her New York life: “No Sunday paper, no bagels, and you can’t hail a cab!” Three children later, the family moved to Calgary in 1963, where their fifth child was born.

Nancy’s specialty was wrangling her 5 children, exposing them to arts, culture, & the great American musicals, and giving special attention to respect and caring for others. She kept close ties with her sisters back home and family vacations consisted of loading everyone into the station wagon and driving a week across the continent to visit. Nothing suited Nancy better than a community of friends and family. She loved parties and her Christmas open houses were legendary, often lasting till the wee hours of the morning. The Macdonald house was always open “I was just passing by and saw the door open” was heard from friends young and old as they were offered a cup of coffee or a glass of beer.

After obtaining her second degree in Public Relations, Nancy joined Lunchbox Theatre in Calgary, AB as publicist. It was a position she loved and thrived in, happy to be back in the theatre. She even brushed off her acting chops and took roles in TV movies, commercials, and print ads. Rumour has it she can still be seen in a poster on the walls of the Foothills Hospital in Calgary. Giving was an important part of Nancy’s life and found a new dedication to helping better the lives of women and children worldwide when she joined the Soroptomists. A lifelong volunteer for various charities, she especially supported the Calgary Food Bank, adult literacy programs, women’s shelters, and was a passionate recycler.

In 2007 Nancy decided to move to Vancouver to be closer to her two youngest children, but, more importantly, her two grandsons, Lincoln and Davis. Giving up the house in Calgary and loving the freedom of her independent living suite, she rejoiced in being close to the ocean, Sunday dinners with her children, and “never having to cook myself another meal.” A loving and attentive “Gramma Bear,” she helped out with the boys whenever she could, babysitting, reading stories, and playing hockey in the driveway. From 2012 her Alzheimer’s worsened, and Nancy slowly lost her connection with the world. She spent the last few years in decline, but always took enjoyment in the smaller joys in life: a day at the beach, a coffee in the park, watching musicals, and meeting people. She never lost her sense of humour or her affection and caring for people, making friends and admirers even without words but gracing them with her sly sweet smile.

Nancy was predeceased by her parents, her husband Malcolm in 2004, and her sister Ruth Bugzester in 2010. Nancy lives on in the memories of her children and their families: Nona Louise, Doris Mary (Michael Van Buer), Alan Luke, Ronald Hugh (Loralee Delbrouck), and Carol Jane; her sister Doris Genton, her nieces and nephews, and the many friends she also considered family.

Nancy’s children gathered for a family memorial in Vancouver on July 29th; she will be interred in New Jersey.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s society or a charity of your choice.