Westborough – Margaret J. “Maggie” Macdougall, 74, of Westborough died peacefully Thursday, May 3, 2012, after several years of struggle with Parkinson's and cancer at the UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester.
She leaves her husband of 50 years, Dr. John D. Macdougall, her three daughters, Elizabeth Phelps and her husband Brian of Westborough, MA, Susan Keating and her husband Patrick of Surry, Maine, Margaret “Peggy” Macdougall of Westborough, MA and three Grandchildren, Maggie Keating, Emma Phelps and Jack Phelps. She also leaves behinds her two dogs Laurie and Pugsley.
Maggie grew up in Petitcodiac, New Brunswick, Canada. The daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Andrew L. Richardson. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. She worked as a Registered Nurse in Hamilton, Ontario, North Adams and Whitinsville, Massachusetts and retired after working 20 years at UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester.
Her daughters and grandchildren will always be grateful for her endless generosity, kindness, patience, empathy and warmth. Maggie nurtured creativity and inspired us all with her art, painting, rug hooking, sewed clothes and costumes, baked dozens of cookies for school events at the last minute's notice. She allowed every pet imaginable to be welcomed into the house, and could always find us the best diners or fried food shacks (usually located ocean side) on driving trips between here and Canada. She brought a sense of adventure to our lives with her back road searches for the rare and unusual plants, rocks, fossils, antiques or the never ending search for the most beautiful and secluded beaches. She loved nature, the seashore and being in the woods and could identify any plant or bird encountered. Gardening was her passion and there was never a windowsill without a rustic and poetic seasonal flower arrangement or plant.
Calling hours will be held on Tuesday, May 8, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Rand-Harper-Pickering Westborough Funeral Home, 62 West Main St., Westborough, followed by services at 6:00 p.m., also at the funeral home. Burial will be at a later date in the Riverbank Cemetery, Norton, New Brunswick, Canada. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Bosler Humane Society, P.O. Box 12, Baldwinville, MA 01436.
