Josephine MacDonald Was Native of Boston

Josephine (McCarthy) MacDonald died with her family at her side on Sept. 7 in the intensive care unit of Cape Cod Hospital. Josephine was born in Boston on May 8, 1919, to her loving parents, Mary Ellen and Jeremiah McCarthy, who were natives of Skibreen, County Cork, Ireland.

Josephine grew up in Dorchester, the second youngest member of a bustling family of nine. She had three brothers, Albert, Gerald and Charles, and five sisters, Mildred, Mary, Lillian, Frances and Dorothea. They shared many wonderful times together and remained a close-knit family throughout their lives.

Josephine was graduated from the Jeremiah Burke High School in Dorchester. She was employed as a bookkeeper at the Federal Reserve Bank and Jordan Marsh Company, both in Boston, for many years. She was also the devoted caregiver of her parents and several of her siblings all of their days.

Josephine met Donald MacDonald of New York city at a U.S.O. dance while he was stationed in Boston during World War II. They fell in love and were married on June 14, 1946. Both were great theatre buffs and voracious readers. They enjoyed sailing together and frequent jaunts to New York city. They resided on the Fenway in Boston, in close proximity to Fenway Park, the home of Josephine's favorite team, the Boston Red Sox. Her husband died in 1969 and she never remarried.

Josephine later moved to Weymouth, where she lived for several decades. She was a frequent visitor to Martha's Vineyard for well over 30 years and moved here permanently in 1994. She resided at Woodside Village in Oak Bluffs and will be dearly missed by her many friends there.

Josephine was the beloved mother of Bonnie Chalifoux and Cynthia MacDonald-Smith both of Edgartown. She is survived by her son in law Carl Chalifoux and was predeceased by sons in laws Richard Baird and David Smith. Josephine was the devoted grandmother of Derek and his wife, Rebecca Connolly, Gregory Connolly, Magdalena MacDonald-Baird and Zachary MacDonald-Baird. Josephine was the proud great-grandmother of Rory and Michael Connolly and Cody and Riley Chalifoux.

Her funeral mass was held at noon on Saturday, Sept. 11, at St. Elizabeth's Church in Edgartown. Donations in her name can be made with heartfelt thanks to all, especially Ms. Patricia Pacheco, to Visiting Nurses Association, P.O. Box 2568, Oak Bluffs, MA 02557. Arrangements are under the care of the Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home, Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road, Oak Bluffs. Visit www.ccgfuneralhome.com for online guest book and information.