Irene Macdonald

Irene Macdonald died Monday, September 6, 2010, in Santa Rosa at age 93. She was born in Mendocino in 1917, the eldest child of Cecil Roy and Emily Eugenia (Daniels) Mallory. Her earliest years were spent at Hells Gate Dam on Big River where her father was a logging contractor. Irene graduated from Mendocino High School, then went to business school in Berkeley, and worked as a typist for an insurance company in San Francisco for a short while, before returning home to Mendocino and marrying Forrest Macdonald of Albion, a logger, rancher and livestock dealer. She was a secretary/bookkeeper for several Ukiah valley firms over a 35 year period. Over her lifetime she lived in many places in Mendocino County from the coast to the Ukiah valley. She was always proud to say she was from Mendocino County, and it was only in the last seven years that she moved to Santa Rosa to be nearer her family. Irene was a talented and dedicated genealogist - tracing several branches of her family and Forrest's family back to England and Scotland. After pursuing this interest, she then turned - at age 82 - to chronicling the history of Littleriver with the publication of Littleriver's Yesteryears, 1853 - 1965. Irene loved to travel, especially enjoying her trips to all the western States, including Alaska, as well as Kansas, Maine, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, England and Scotland. She often researched genealogy on these trips and met new family members along the way. She was a strong and loving woman who was a formative presence in the lives of many of her immediate and extended family. She lived life with a clear eye and pioneer spirit. She will be missed by all. Survived by sister June (Harold) Goldsmith, Clovis; brother Norman (Roen) Mallory, Fort Bragg; daughter Janet (Philip) Olsen, Santa Rosa; granddaughters Pamela Olsen (Anthony Prevedello), San Francisco; Patricia Olsen, Oakland; Rosa (Brooks) Ramsdell, Castro Valley; great-grandchildren Jacob, Madeline, and Laurel Ramsdell, and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her daughter Rosemary in 1962, husband Forrest in 1986 and brother Lynn in 1987. If desired, memorial contributions may be made to The Fort Bragg-Mendocino County Historical Society (Fort Bragg) or the Mendocino County Historical Society (Ukiah). Arrangements under the direction of the Eversole Mortuary, Ukiah.