Erin Ellen (Nowinski) MacDonald

Erin was a loving, intelligent, generous, caring women who inspired all around her and had a gift for making a difference in the lives of all she touched. She loved her family with her whole heart and dedicated herself to making sure they were always well cared for, especially her son James and her sister Sheila. She loved and was especially proud of both her grandchildren, Ashley and Shelby and greatly overjoyed by her great grandson Jalen.

She took a true interest in and genuinely loved people, especially hearing their life stories and helping them with life challenges, both good and bad. She particularly enjoyed sharing conversation and reminiscing with her friends over a great bottle of wine. She also loved travel and truly loved spending time in Hawaii at the Four Seasons, Maui.

She attended Harvard School of Public, Health Systems Management, Boston Massachusetts in 1985 and she graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing with High Distinction in 1975 and University of Nevada, Las Vegas with an Associates Degree in Nursing in 1970. She served as a licensed Registered Nurse from 1970 to 1984 when her career path changed to healthcare management.

She proudly served in the US Navy at the Naval Hospital in San Diego, CA from 1965 to 1967.

She was a long term resident of Nevada and dedicated most of her life to helping those around her.

She served an active role in the community including over 25 years of service in various leadership roles at Sierra Health Services. She would be most fondly remembered for serving both on the Board of Directors and as President and COO of Sierra Health Services for over 10 years where her business acumen and true desire to ensure patient wellbeing shaped the direction of the company.

Over the years she was involved in multiple charitable organizations, including HELP of Southern Nevada, Clark County Public Education Foundation, American Diabetes Association and most dear to her heart, her own foundation, The Erin MacDonald Foundation, a non-profit organization whose mission is to further and fund Deaf education in Nevada and primary research related to maximizing hearing potential for the deaf in Nevada.

She is pre-deceased by her parents Elaine and Norbert Nowinski and her sister Sheila Nowinski. She is survived by her son James MacDonald, resident of Las Vegas, granddaughters Ashley MacDonald Thurman and Shelby MacDonald and great grandson Jalen Thurman.

Viewing will be held 1pm-3pm followed by funeral service at 3:00 p.m., Saturday, October 3, 2020 at Palm Mortuary on 1600 S. Jones Blvd, Las Vegas NV.

For those who cannot attend, services will be livestreamed on Facebook. Please visit the Palm South Jones Facebook page at the time of the service.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.palmsouthjones.com for the MACDONALD family.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be made to the California School for the Deaf, Fremont or Opportunity Village, Las Vegas or Nathan Adelson Hospice, Las Vegas.

-Nathan Adelson Hospice

https://www.nah.org/get-involved/make-a-donation

-Opportunity Village

https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E11103&id=3

-California School for the Deaf, Fremont

*Mail check or money order to:

California School for the Deaf, Fremont

Attn: President Clark Brook

39350 Gallaudet Drive

Fremont, CA 94538