Muriel MacDonald

A loving wife, mother, and grandmother, Muriel MacDonald lived a life marked by devotion to her family. She could always be counted on to bring people together for a big meal or family gathering and make them feel welcome. Funny and outgoing, Muriel made friends quickly and was as loyal to them as she was to her hometown Detroit Tigers.

By 1944, the end of World War II was finally in sight. Allied forces had landed at Normandy in June on their way to liberate France, and Japanese forces were being pushed back in the Pacific. FDR was elected to an unprecedented fourth term as President, and the nation was beginning the transition from the recent hardships of the Great Depression and war to an era of record prosperity. In Detroit, Michigan, while her husband Jack was away serving in WWII, Elsie DiMaggio welcomed the birth of her first child, Muriel, on November 23, 1944.

Along with her younger brother Jack, Muriel grew up in the Detroit area, where her father was the Vice President of a tool company. In school, Muriel displayed a passion for reading that would continue throughout her life. It was also in school that she met her future husband. Sterling MacDonald was in the same kindergarten class as Muriel, and they went through grade school and high school together. Sterling recalls her first catching his eye in a poodle skirt. He and Muriel even went steady for awhile when they were thirteen, but then went their separate ways.

Muriel graduated from Osborne High School in 1962. After school, she went on to work for a local cement company for several years, and had a baby blue Mustang that was her pride and joy. She would cross paths with Sterling again, as they met in a bar shortly after he got out of the service. The couple began dating right then, and would eventually marry in Detroit on September 23, 1967. Before long, they began their own family, welcoming the births of two sons, Matt and Adam.

Eventually, the family (including their dog, Mindy) moved to Plainwell in 1984 when Sterling was transferred for work. The family returned to Detroit frequently to visit family, and also traveled to Colorado and Florida on vacations. Muriel stayed at home with her boys while they were still young. Once they were older, she began working part-time at Hardings, where she enjoyed working with people and made many friends.

Muriel will be remembered for being very funny, social, and outgoing – she could make a friend in five minutes. She was a news junkie who liked to keep up with current events, and was a voracious reader throughout her life. Muriel also enjoyed gardening, and loved to cook – she was especially known for her spaghetti. She would prepare big meals for family gatherings, but was very particular about how things were done in the kitchen, so she would do everything herself. Most of all, Muriel loved spending time with her grandchildren, playing games and reading stories. Muriel was an amazing mother and grandmother, and through nearly fifty years of marriage, a loving and devoted wife. She will never be forgotten and will be greatly missed by all those whose lives she touched.

Muriel MacDonald, age 71 of Plainwell passed away suddenly on May 18, 2016 at her home. Muriel was born on November 23, 1944 to Jack & Elsie DiMaggio. Visit with her family and friends and view her life story film on Monday, May 23 from 10:00 to 11:00 at the Life Story Funeral Home, Plainwell; 120 Woodhams St. (269 685-5881). A memorial service will follow at 11:00 a.m. at the same location. Muriel’s family includes her husband of 49 years, Sterling; her children: Matt (Heather) MacDonald, Adam (Mai) MacDonald; her brother Jack “Biff” DiMaggio; 2 grandchildren: Gavin and Hayden. She was preceded in death by her parents. Please visit Muriel’s memory page at www.lifestorynet.com where you can read her life story, archive a memory or photo and sign her memory book online. Muriel enjoyed gardening and reading and was a big Detroit Tiger’s fan. She loved to spend time with her grandchildren. Memorial donations can be made to the American Heart Association.