Shrewsbury – Leona Hazel (David) McDonald, 81, of Shrewsbury, died peacefully and surrounded by her children on Monday, December 18, 2023.
Leona was born on October 9, 1942 to Joseph Elphege Leo David and Hazel Louise (Brigham) David. Leona was preceded in death by her parents and her husband of nearly 46 years, John Francis McDonald.
She leaves behind her three daughters; Sheila and her husband Michael Lipschultz, Cynthia and her husband Jeremy Sacco, and Brenda and her husband John Salvi; her son, Brian; and her seven grandchildren, Michael, Gabriel, Jacob, Allison, Nathaniel, Perrin, and Owen.
Leona graduated from Shrewsbury High School before studying education at Worcester State College and receiving a Master of Library Science from University of Denver in Colorado.
Leona began her career at Shrewsbury Public Library, briefly taught second grade after that, and then worked in the library at the North Shore School, where she met her husband. They married in 1974 and settled in Shrewsbury. After staying home to raise her four children, Leona worked as a volunteer in the Shrewsbury High School library. She later worked in the library at Anna Maria College, and then nicely bookended her library career with a position in Technical Services at the Shrewsbury Public Library.
Leona loved music and encouraged her children to make music a part of their own lives. She was an active member of the Shrewsbury Schools Music Association while her children were in school, and she continued to support her children in their musical activities thereafter.
Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend visiting hours at the Chiampa Funeral Home, 5 Church Road, On the Common, Shrewsbury on Thursday, December 28, 2023 from 4:00-7:00 p.m. A Mass of Christian burial will be held on Friday, December 29, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Mary’s Church, 640 Main Street, Shrewsbury. Burial will follow at Mountain View Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Leona’s memory to Notre Dame Health care https://www.notredamehealthcare.org/donate or Friends of the Shrewsbury Public Library https://foundationspl.org/
