Obituary of Gary Wayne MacDONALD

April 17, 1947 – Vancouver, British Columbia
April 12, 2020 – Calgary, Alberta

Gary MacDonald, beloved husband of Lesley MacDonald (nee White) of Calgary, AB, passed away on Sunday, April 12, 2020 at the age of 72 years.

Gary was born in Vancouver and raised there and later in Calgary, where he completed school at Western Canada High School.  Gary was a top student.  He pursued excellence in academics and was meticulous and thorough in all his endeavours.  As a Boy Scout, he displayed the tenacity and diligence to earn the prized Queen Scout award.

Gary graduated from the University of British Columbia with a BA (1968) and from the University of Toronto School of Library Science with a BLS (1969).  Gary worked as a librarian at North York Public Library, a program head in the Library and Information Technology Program at SAIT, and ended his career designing the email system at SAIT.  He retired in 2011.  

Gary’s considerable mastery of computer systems was entirely self-taught but he quickly garnered the respect of his more formally trained colleagues in the Information Systems Department at SAIT.  

In spite of his achievements, Gary was not cocky or self-promoting.  He was a quiet man who simply enjoyed pursuing his curiosity and was then happy to share his knowledge with others.  His equanimity was remarkable.  Solid, unflappable and selfless, he was a rock of safety and security to his wife and a cheerful helper to his extended family and friends.

Outside his career, Gary relished time in the outdoors.  He and his wife, Lesley, acquired a cottage on a lake in Montana and began to hike, canoe, ski and snowshoe extensively.  True to form, when that cottage was threatened by forest fire, Gary turned his attention to learning about fire protection in rural areas.  As he and Lesley then lived in the Alberta foothills, he became a founding member of the Priddis Fire Department and trained and acted as a volunteer fire fighter for several years.  Gary also volunteered as a board member of the Carpenter Lake Homeowners Association in Eureka MT, where he and Lesley had their lake home.  

His home in the foothills was his favourite place, a place to wander the woods, observe wildlife, and enjoy solitude.  He lived there with his wife and a succession of cats and dogs for thirty-one years.

Gary said he wanted to live as long as possible, but the possible was not as long as expected. Besides his loving wife, Lesley, of fifty-one years, Gary is dearly missed by his mother, Alice, sister Lynne (Garry), nephews, Murray, Dean, Michael, Dylan and Griffin; and niece Bridget. He is also survived by the White Family, Joyce, Geoff (Suzanne), Stephen (Val), and Ian (Kathleen).  Gary was predeceased by his father, Gordon.  

A Memorial Service will be held at a later date. Condolences, memories and photos may be shared and viewed on Gary’s obituary at www.McInnisandHolloway.com. If friends so desire, memorial tributes may be made directly to the A.L.S. Society of Alberta (Lou Gehrig’s Disease), 7874 – 10th Street N.E., Calgary, AB T2E 8W1, www.alsab.ca .

In living memory of Gary MacDonald, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McINNIS & HOLLOWAY FUNERAL HOMES, Fish Creek, 14441 BANNISTER ROAD SE, CALGARY, AB, T2X 3J3,  Telephone: 403- 256-9575.