M. Patricia McDonald

M. Patricia (Turner) McDonald, age 86, passed away peacefully on March 3, 2022 with her loving family by her side. She was born on March 15, 1935 in Philadelphia PA to Amy and Anthony J. Turner, and moved to Phoenix when she was 2 yrs old. She saw many changes in Phoenix, and fondly recalled roller skating on the dirt road of Camelback and 3rd Street as a child. Pat attended St. Mary’s and St. Francis grade schools, and was the valedictorian for the Xavier High School class of 1952. She attended Immaculate Heart College in LA, and began her teaching career shortly after at Blessed Sacrament school in Hollywood, where she taught the children of several movie stars of the 1950s. She was brilliant at mathematics, and an incredible yet humble artist, painting beautiful pictures of churches, the Blessed Mother, and the Southwest that she loved. She was passionate about art, and developed an art appreciation program for grade schools. She worked at Motorola in the 1950s, Xavier College Prep in the 1990s, and tutored students in her home. The most important vocation to Pat, however, was caring for her beloved husband of 57 years, Tom, and her 4 daughters. Pat was very proud of her family, and was always eager to talk about the accomplishments of her daughters and 10 grandchildren. She and Tom had a vibrant marriage with love and laughter, boating on Saguaro Lake, dancing to big band music, card parties with life-long friends, and devotion to the Catholic Church. Pat’s creativity knew no bounds, and she could sew everything from dresses to draperies in expert fashion. She sketched detailed blueprints for building additions onto their homes as their family grew, and founded The Summer Reading Institute with Tom, helping students realize their potential in reading. She was a generous, loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and friend. She will be greatly missed, but never forgotten. Pat is preceded in death by her parents, brother Joe, her devoted husband Tom, and great granddaughter Lucia. She is survived by her sister, Antonia Kottman; her 4 daughters and sons in law: Mary and Gary Bevilacqua, Peggy and Rick Towles, Rosemary and Anthony Cordovana, and Michelle and Justin Kohls; 10 grandchildren; 6 great grandsons; and numerous nieces and nephews. Pat’s family will celebrate her life with a Visitation/Rosary on Friday April 1st from 4pm - 7pm at Hansen Mortuary (8314 N. 7th St. Phoenix), and a funeral mass on Saturday April 2nd at 10am at St. Francis Xavier Church, with a lunch reception immediately after. Graveside services will follow at 1:30pm at St. Francis Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to www.sistersoflife.org.