DOROTHY McDONALD
November 15, 1951 – February 4, 2025
Dorothy lived a full and vibrant life defined by resilience, love, and an unwavering bond with her family. Born on November 15, 1951, in Thunder Bay, Ontario, she was the eighth of nine children welcomed by Rose Lepere and Joseph Brescia. Raised in a bustling household, Dorothy’s childhood was shaped by her mother’s strength and devotion, which guided the family through difficult times. When Rose later married Clayton Marion, the family found new stability and thrived. Dorothy’s own path unfolded through chapters of challenge and triumph—from a brief marriage to Dominic Arnone in her late twenties, to raising her son Michael as a single mother with the steadfast support of her mother and sisters, to building a partnership with Reg McDonald. Through it all, she met adversity with quiet determination and grace.
Her spirit sparkled in the everyday: Dorothy poured love into the meals she shared generously, spoke her mind with refreshing candor, and embraced life’s joys—dancing to her favourite music, camping under open skies, or reveling in the thrill of casinos and cross-border shopping trips to the U.S. In her later years, the birth of her granddaughter Luella brought a profound new light to her world. What were once daily phone calls blossomed into video chats that filled her with delight, deepening her sense of purpose and connection. When Dorothy passed, she did so surrounded by love, her heart full, secure in the legacy she left behind in Luella—a testament to a life richly lived.
Condolences may be made through www.nwfainc.com
