Obituary

Marilyn Grace (DiMeola) McDonald, 78, of Goodyear, Arizona, passed away on Saturday, October 9, 2021. Born July 3, 1943 in New Haven, Connecticut, to Richard and Doris DiMeola, Marilyn grew up with her parents and two sisters, Joan and Doreen, in Woodbridge, Connecticut. Growing up she enjoyed the arts, and took ballet and piano lessons. She became an aunt at the age of 10. At Amity Regional High School she joined many activities including the cheer leading squad, the national honor society, the prom decorating committee and school newspaper. In 1965, she graduated from The College of New Rochelle, NY with a BA in art.

During the summer break she worked as a waitress at Howard Johnson’s in Milford, CT, where she met William (Bill) McDonald. After graduation she taught art to elementary students. Bill enlisted in the Army and while on leave in December of 1966, they became engaged. They married the following year on November 4, 1967. After honeymooning in New York City they moved to the Army post at Ft. Huachuca, Arizona.

The Arizona desert captivated them and inspired her southwest artwork. Their son, Billy was born shortly before Bill’s discharge and they returned to Bridgeport, Connecticut. Marilyn resumed teaching art to students and in 1976 they moved to Tucson, AZ and then Yuma the following year.

In Yuma, she taught art at Gwyneth Ham Elementary School until Shannon was born in 1980, when she started teaching 4th grade. During the summers from 1987 to 1991, Marilyn attended Northern Arizona University with her husband and earned her Master of Education in Counseling. She continued to teach 4th, 5th and 6th grade, moving to Otondo Elementary where she became the school counselor. She loved every child she taught, the difficult ones twice as much because she knew they needed it. When Shannon participated in the Odyssey of the Mind competition, she volunteered as a judge, but continued after Shannon left for college becoming head judge.

Marilyn and Bill’s faith and love had deepened after attending Marriage Encounter. In Yuma, they became directly involved at St. Francis Roman Catholic Church, initially as music ministers. At Sunday morning mass, Marilyn played the piano and Bill would lead the congregation. They were also members of the pastoral and building committees, and led the charismatic prayer group and youth group. Marilyn’s artistic talent created several sets of original iconic church banners and the parish logo. When they answered the call for Bill to become a deacon, she attended the same deaconate classes with him.

In 2002, they moved to Avondale/Goodyear to be closer to their son’s family. There she worked as the assistant vice principal at Lattie Coor Elementary school until retiring. She enjoyed traveling the country and painting her uniquely styled desert landscapes. Her small painted saguaro cactus Christmas ornaments were a favorite seller of her southwest art business. Some became gifts for family, signed “Made with Love from Marilyn”. She was active in the local art club and showcased her works at the local gallery.

Over the years, Marilyn and Bill were active in Marriage Encounter, Amway and a spiritual sharing group. She enjoyed traveling across the country, mostly in the western US, often camping first in tents and later in their popup tent trailer. They visited many national parks, sometimes connecting with her sister’s family out west. She also enjoyed their trip to Ireland and Italy. She loved sharing her life long passion for art and crafts, especially with her children and grand children.

Marilyn enjoyed a good laugh, dancing, a good romance novel or murder mystery. She also played card and board games. Soon the tradition of specific games at Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Eve began when sharing the holidays with long time family friends the Fischbachs. She loved attending the symphony and ballet but also camping and going to a sports event. She was a University of Arizona basketball and football fan and loved her local professional teams – Arizona Diamondbacks, Cardinals and Phoenix Suns – cheering them on, yelling at the players through the TV.

She would save various things in places and not easily recall their location a long time later. But she would reassure us that they were in a ‘safe spot’. The problem became that there were many ‘safe spots’ and recalling which one hid the item sought created a dilemma. Invariably, the item was usually located in the second ‘safe spot’ after an exhaustive search of the first. One summer she handed an extra belated Christmas gift to Shannon she had found in a ‘safe spot’ while looking for something else.

She was an honest, sincere and compassionate person who connected with everyone she met. She loved her family and friends dearly and every opportunity to spend time with them. The many pictures of family she proudly displayed testified to her love for them especially her sisters, children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, grand nieces and grand nephews. She celebrated her 50th wedding anniversary in Hawaii with her soulmate and could never imagine them not being together. Their loving relationship and family profoundly inspired Billy and Shannon to seek their own.

She is survived by her husband of 53 years William Joseph McDonald, their son William James McDonald and two granddaughters Eileen and Meghan, and their daughter Dr. Shannon Skevakis and grandson Timothy. As well as many nieces, nephews, great nieces and grand nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents Richard DiMeola and Doris DiMeola (Roy), her sisters Joan Keeley and Doreen Pulisciano and her husband Michael Pulisciano, her nephews Raymond Keeley, Michael Pulisciano Jr., Timothy Keeley and Kyle McDonald, and her in-laws Eileen and Roy McDonald.

A visitation will be held from 6 to 9 pm on Monday, October 18th, at Thompson Funeral Chapel, 926 N Litchfield Rd, Goodyear, AZ 85338. A funeral mass will be held at 10 am on Tuesday, October 19th at St. John Vianney Roman Catholic Church, 800 W Loma Linda Blvd, Goodyear, AZ 85338.

To view a memorial slide show, click HERE.