Donna Marlene Macdermid (nee Wright)
Donna passed away suddenly in her home in Edmonton during the early hours of August 12, 2021. She was 62 years of age. Donna is survived by her daughter, Heather MacDermid (fiancé Andy Pilgrim), and her sister Linda Wright (Maurice Dumont), all of Edmonton.
She is also survived by Heather’s father, Brian MacDermid (Helen Knorren).
She was predeceased by her parents, Lloyd and Ethel Wright, and her brother, Douglas Wright. Donna was born in Toronto in 1959, and lived in Montreal, Mississauga, Waterloo, and Toronto before heading west in 1997. She graduated with honours from the University of Waterloo in 1982 and was a Chartered Professional Accountant for 38 years in the Toronto and Edmonton business communities.
Donna’s passions were music and art and visiting (often over wine or tea) with her many close friends. She was a long-standing member of the Nova Musica Orchestra in Edmonton. Donna will be dearly missed by her family and friends.
There will be a Celebration of Life/Funeral Service at Trinity Funeral Home, 10530 116 Street, Edmonton, on Monday August 30th at 2 pm. If possible, please wear something purple in memory of Donna.
We are strongly encouraging people to wear masks and will have masks available.
In lieu of flowers, if you wish to make a donation in Donna’s memory, you may do so to Pilgrims Hospice in Edmonton or the Alberta Cancer Foundation.
I didn’t know Donna we’ll but I knew her to be a dedicated musician and devoted and respected member of Nova. I was always impressed by Donna’s musical knowledge and enjoyed her sharp wit and musical talent. She will be so missed by Nova. I hope, Heather, that you can find some comfort knowing how she enriched the musical experience for so many of us. It was such a pleasure seeing Donna perform with you at our Christmas concert. She was beaming with so much pride. My deepest condolences for your loss.
Donna was a dear friend, who played flute next to me for many years in Nova Musica Orchestra. Her sudden passing leaves me with a hole in my heart. We shared a sincere love for music, for reading and we shared many laughs during rehearsals, attending concerts together and playing duets. She played the flute beautifully and she was a skilled musician. Her encouragement and occasional insistence that I play the more challenging parts made me a better musician. She coaxed me out of my insecurities and kept me on my toes. Through her many beautiful hand-made cards, surprise gifts, funny flute video messages or small compliments, she had a way of adding light mediocre days. She will be missed, and rehearsals will never be the same without her.
I send my deepest condolences to Heather and the rest of the family for their loss. I am sending you thoughts of strength and peace at this difficult time.
My deepest condolences to the family. Donna had a great sense of humour and infectious laugh. I will miss her dearly at Nova.
Donna was more than a friend. She was our family in Canada since we moved to Briarcliffe condo, from Brazil to Canada. She was passionate about learning new things and she was very interested about our mother language, Portuguese. Before the pandemic, in our get togethers she was always with a notebook to write portuguese words. So, I feel in my heart I should continue the message about her in Portuguese from now on.
Preferi escrever na minha lingua materna para falar de uma pessoa muito importante pra nós, mãe de sangue para sua amada filha Heather e mãe de coração da nossa familia, como a consideraremos para sempre. Donna, eu adorava te encontrar casualmente andando pelo nosso condomínio e conversar. Sempre calma, disposta, atenciosa e caridosa. Tinha muita vida e muita vontade de aprender sobre tudo. Esse foi o motivo de eu escrever no meu idioma, voce sempre anotava algumas palavras da nossa cultura e nos ensinava sobre a sua. Nos acolheu como filhos ha 3 anos atrás, nos sentimos acolhidos e bem recebidos no Briarcliff desde o primeiro dia. Trocamos muitas informações sobre Canada e Brazil, tivemos a rica oportunidade de passar um Natal com voce e sua filha, vê-las cantando e tocando piano, momento que nunca esqueceremos. Também tivemos a oportunidade de te mostrar o nosso famoso churrasco brasileiro. Enfim, eu poderia falar muitas coisas aqui e o texto seria muito longo. Nós sabemos que voce esta bem (esse é o destino das pessoas que semeiam o bem). Sentiremos muito sua ausencia mas sabemos que um dia poderemos usar novamente o caderno para anotar palavras novas ao lado do nosso bom Deus, que é onde voce esta hoje.
Donna will never be forgotten. Thanks for everything you did for us Donna!
Our condolences to Heather and the entire family
Cristiano, Fabiana, Luisa and Davi
Auntie Donna you will forever be missed. I’m so glad I was able to talk to you just a week prior to your passing. I love you. Rest peacefully
Donna was a friend of mine for almost fifty years. We met in high school playing the flute next to each other in band. (Of course, where else!) There is no way to encapsulate all of those years of memories but they are all good memories. There was no negativity, no unkindness. As I have said to Heather, Donna was smart, talented, funny, and tough. She was fascinated by people in general and I think that was what made her a good friend. She was always interested in others and was a good listener. She laughed easily. This is a terrible loss for all who knew her. My deepest condolences to Heather, Linda, Brian, and the rest of her family and friends.
If there is any phrase I could use to describe Donna, it would be “limited edition.” We have been friends for over 50 years. I know this because in an email last year Donna wrote, “Ruth — did you know this is an anniversary month for us? I met you in October 1970, when I transferred into Mr. Yach’s class at Hillcrest from another school. 50 years!!! It cannot really be, as we are not that old, but there you go! So happy anniversary!” That was Donna through and through — she knew every date, every name, every occasion that I long ago forgot. She and Brian tracked me down for a visit when I lived in Virginia; sometime later, my parents were delighted to tell me about a sign on Donna and Brian’s front yard when Heather entered our lives. Since those early school years, Beth, Donna, and I were like a chemical reaction. The three of us spent a couple of memorable (and now much cherished) long weekends in Montreal over the past few years. We thought these trips would be the start of many reunions, filled with polkadot socks, purple suitcases, Louise Penny books, and so much laughter. If you never knew Donna well, you have missed out on something in life. She was smart, bright, witty, challenging, loyal, and compassionate. Fortunately, she was sarcastic and opinionated too so time with her was never dull. All the more to be missed but leaving behind smiles and laughter in thinking about her. Rest in peace, Pite! You will always have a place in my heart. 💜
We got to know Donna through Nova Musica Community Orchestra and became close friends. We valued her candour, sense of humour, integrity, and fealty to family and friends. Donna had a wide range of interests, talents and abilities which she generously shared. We miss her.
Our heartfelt condolences go to her family.
My mom (who is Donna’s cousin) and I were in attendance. I wanted to say to Heather and those who helped her plan the service, that they celebrated Donna’s life well. The music was so comforting. Heather, your song at the end was so fitting. Your strength in the moment was a tribute to your mom in and of itself. Good on ya!
I’m so sorry to hear of Donna’s passing and send condolences to you all. Donna was a lovely person, and we spent more than a few afternoons playing flute together while Heather played nearby. We had a wonderful trip to band camp in North Dakota and talked the entire drive, laughing hysterically when grasshoppers obliterated the windshield and the gas stations were closed, so we had to soak them off with bottled water we were travelling with. Years later, I made some dryer balls with purple dragon flies and she said they were far too pretty for laundry and she put them on her mantle. I think of her whenever I pull out my flute, and will do the same today in her memory. Rest In Peace Donna.