May is lovingly remembered by her husband, Roddy McDonald, children; Carel McDonald and Earl (Krystal) McDonald, grandchildren; Wade McDonald (Kim Spaeth), and Tera (Adam) Nicholson, sister; Isobel Lawrence as well as many nieces and nephews.
May is predeceased by Jenny Jack, Nellie, Jack, Rae and Mickey Flynn.
May McDonald nee Flynn, was born at Tay River, Yukon Territory on May 1, 1917. Her father was an Irish miner and her mother a First Nations lady. May was the eldest of six children. She started school at the age of twelve and attended Residential School for several years. May then worked at St. Micheal’s Residential School in Dawson City and Alert Bay, looking after the Native children, from 1935-1942.
May was the first woman in the Yukon to serve in the Canadian women’s army.
May moved to Vancouver and worked at several secretarial jobs. She met Roddy in 1949 and they were soon married. They first moved to Prince George then to Quesnel in 1954. May completed her education to the end of grade eleven by correspondence a few years ago. At that time, she was the oldest student in the province of BC.
May passed away peacefully with her loving family by her side on Monday, February 27, 2012.
The family salutes our Mother and Grandmother, and will treasure all our precious time and
memories with her.
Those wishing to honour May’s memory, by way of donation, may do so to the Quesnel Aboriginal Friendship Center.