Obit: Helen (Thomson) Macdonald b.1909 St. John, NB
CAPE ELIZABETH - Helen T. Macdonald, 95, died Friday, March 4, 2005, at Haven Health Care in Cape Elizabeth.
She was born May 9, 1909, in St. John, New Brunswick, Canada, the second child and first daughter of Nellie Adams Thomson and Charles William Thomson. She spent her childhood in St. John, but in 1927, moved to Boston to study hairdressing, and the following year to Portland where she began a lifelong career as a beautician.
In her 54 years as a hairdresser, she won many awards but was forced to retire when she had a hip replacement operation in 1974 after 54 years in the business.
In 1930, she married Carlyle A. Macdonald and in 1932, her son, Robert Carlyle Macdonald and in 1933, her daughter, Joan Thomson Macdonald, were born. Her husband predeceased her in 1969.
She was an active person, always busy after work with baking or knitting, caring for her cats and dogs and for her flowers.
She loved boating as well and spent many a weekend with her husband on Sebago Lake where for some years they had a cottage.
With a much-loved sister in New Brunswick, she maintained a life-long correspondence. But she was never too busy to give to others. For many years, she volunteered a day each week giving permanents and haircuts to the residents of the Barron Center of Portland.
Her greatest joy was her five grandchildren, nine great- grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren. Contributing much to her happiness in her final years was the care of her devoted daughter, and son-in-law, Merton A. Rutherford.
With her sense of fun, her open friendly energetic nature, her kindness to all, she was loved by everyone who knew her.
A celebration of her life will be held at a later date.