Obituary of Duncan "Neil" MacDonald

Neil MacDonald, 1963-2017 With great sadness, we announce the passing of (Duncan) Neil MacDonald on March 22. Neil was a devoted husband and father, a beloved son and family member and a loyal friend. We will sure miss him. Neil was born in Prince Albert, Sask., on May 22, 1963. He grew up on the family farm in Steep Creek and attended Carlton Comprehensive High School. It was there that he met Colleen Yeo — the love of his life — and her interest in highland dancing made her the perfect fit for the MacDonald family. Neil was also a real favourite with the Yeo clan, and he enjoyed a very special relationship with Colleen’s parents — especially Deanie. Colleen and Neil graduated in 1981 and were married on November 6, 1982. It was a happy day for all of their family and friends, and we especially remember applauding Neil and Colleen as Dave Monette piped them into their wedding reception at Ed’s Inn. It was a wonderful beginning for a special couple whose love for each other grew stronger as the years went by. In November, Colleen and Neil celebrated their 34th anniversary in Las Vegas — a destination they often visited with their dear friends Glen and Gerri who had first introduced them to Elvis’s “bright light city.” Once Neil completed bachelor’s degrees (BA and BEd) at the University of Saskatchewan, he began teaching at Leoville Central School. Although Neil and Colleen only lived in Leoville for two years, they made wonderful, lifelong friends who played a huge role in their lives over the years. After a year at Unity Composite High School, Neil and Colleen, along with baby Ceilidh, moved back to Prince Albert where he taught business communications. When the SIAST program became part of the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technology, Neil continued teaching various classes. He was happy to tackle any new courses that were offered to him, but he particularly enjoyed law and communications. Neil was popular with his students who respected him as a teacher and enjoyed his wry humour. He took pleasure in developing materials that made learning fun for them. He was an excellent public speaker with a relaxed style that made it all look easy — but he would spend days perfecting the wording and his delivery to ensure that his presentations had the right flow. Neil was a devoted father who really enjoyed his four wonderful kids. When they were little, he loved watching them dance to an eclectic playlist that included George Thorogood, Tom Jones, INXS and Johnny Cash. Neil liked to pick the right song for the occasion: when the kids needed a trim, he’d play “Get a Haircut” by Thorogood. Neil also had them riding on motorcycles and snowmobiles at a young age. They started out on an Arctic Cat Kitty Cat riding in the back alley to Gramma Deanie’s place and then graduated to larger sleds and day trips to Little Bear and Greenwater Lakes. The family spent many happy days camping at Candle Lake and Sandy Lake with family and friends. They also spent lots of time at Greenwater Lake where they stayed with their Leoville friends Jackie and Vaughn. Neil and Vaughn completed many cabin projects while enjoying lots of laughs and beer breaks. Neil spent hours playing ball and “500” with his kids while teaching them the rules and “making sure they didn’t cheat.” When the boys became talented ball players, Neil loved watching them play. He was also proud of his kids’ academic accomplishments and always encouraged them to follow their dreams. He was thrilled when Ceilidh became a registered nurse and when Nolan began his electrical apprenticeship. Neil wanted his kids to be self-reliant, and he always showed them by example. Whenever he didn’t know how to do something involving mechanics or carpentry, he would go to Canadian Tire, look for a book that showed him what to do and then figure it out for himself. He encouraged his kids to do the same. Although Neil enjoyed teaching, his real passion was carpentry. He began building sheds in 2005, and his “Shedmaster” stickers can be found on sheds all around Prince Albert. He eventually moved on to larger projects — fences, roofs, decks, garages and a house. He was a perfectionist who took great pride in his work and enjoyed figuring out how to do things on his own. Neil also really enjoyed landscaping, and once the family moved to their Buckland-area acreage in 2003, he worked hard rototilling and seeding grass. He planted hundreds of seedlings and spent hours watering and weeding them as they grew into beautiful spruce, balsam and poplar trees. He got to know his neighbours right away, and they also benefited from his landscaping skills and his love for fireworks. Over the years, Neil developed and maintained long lasting friendships with so many different individuals throughout the various stages in his life. He had a unique sense of humour and a quick wit, and he loved to make everyone laugh — a trait that endeared him to his family as well as a wide range of people. Neil will always be remembered by his wife Colleen and their children — Ceilidh, Nolan, Reilly and Keenan; his mother Ivy MacDonald; his siblings Donna (Don) Thorsen, Lynne (Lenny) Gunville, Kenny (Cindy) MacDonald, Cameron (Anita) MacDonald and Myrna (Scott) MacDonald Ridley; his siblings-in-law Terry Yeo, Denton (Erin) Yeo, Byron (Carol) Yeo and Karen (Michael) Ruszkowski; and his many nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. Neil is predeceased by his father Kenneth MacDonald, his grandparents John and Lily MacDonald, his grandmother Flora Phelps, and his parents-in-law William and Geraldine Yeo. Funeral service will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, April 1, 2017, at Prince Albert’s Calvary United Church (114-25th Street East) with Rev. Nora Vedress officiating. Memorial donations can be made to an education fund for Neil and Colleen’s children (MacDonald Fundraising Account, Conexus Credit Unions, Prince Albert). Online condolences can made at www.beaulacfuneralhome.com. Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Beau “Lac” Funeral Home, Marianne Turcotte, Funeral Director, Prince Albert, Sask., 306-763-3322.