Marie "Flo" (Arsenault) Macdonald

Marie “Flo” Macdonald passed away Sunday morning August 25, 2019 at the High Pointe Hospice House in Haverhill, MA. She was born in Newburyport, MA on September 29, 1922. She was the daughter of Regina (Bourque) and Emilien “Bill” Arsenaut. As a young child, her family moved to Cocagne, New Brunswick, Canada. The small community only offered education through the 8th grade, and being a very bright child, she completed that schooling at a very young age and eventually went away to a boarding school at the Convent of the Immaculate Conception. She graduated high school in 1939 and went on to attend St. Joseph’s Hospital School of Nursing in Campbellton, New Brunswick, graduating in 1943.

After a few years, she decided to return to Newburyport, where in addition to her nursing career, she became the loving wife to the late Ervin “Perk” Cox and later to the late Robert “Bunty” Macdonald. She was a devoted and loving mother to 7 children. She worked at the Anna Jaques Hospital early in her career, and then later retired from the Amesbury Hospital in 1982.

She was a skilled artist, well known for creating beautiful Christmas decorations. Flo and Bunty spent some happy retirement years in Florida, where she developed a network of friends and continued to spend many peaceful hours painting, enjoying her dogs, following the Red Sox and playing Bingo. In 2010, Flo returned to Newburyport to be close to family and has been living at the Heritage House.

She is survived by her children (oldest to youngest) Robert Macdonald, Brian Macdonald and his wife Jeanne, Kevin Macdonald and his wife Julie, Mary Powers and her husband Stephen, Billy Cox, Peter Cox and his wife Marie and Danny Macdonald. She also leaves her nephew Alan Arsenault, grandchildren Brianna, Carey, Matthew, Taylor, Eric, Melissa, Mark, Caroline, and great grandchildren Christopher, Maya, Pepper and Barrett, as well as many nieces and nephews in the States and Canada. She was preceded in death by her brothers Norman and Herve Arsenault and her sister Edna (Arsenault) Leblanc.

Family and friends may call from 10:00 to 11:00 AM on Thursday August 29, 2019 at the Twomey, LeBlanc, & Conte Funeral Home 193 High St. Newburyport, MA 01950. THERE IS NO LONGER ANY PARKING AVAILABLE BEHIND THE FUNERAL HOME PER ORDER OF THE CITY OF NEWBURYPORT. Her Funeral Mass will follow at 11:30 AM at Immaculate Conception Church with burial at St. Mary Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to: High Pointe House, Merrimack Valley Hospice 360 North Av. Haverhill, MA  01830.

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