Margaret C. MacDonald

Margaret Carrison (Campbell) MacDonald, 86, passed away on July 7, 2025.

Born to Joseph Lytle Campbell, Jr. and Margaret Carrison Smith in 1938, she was raised in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Margaret attended Converse College, graduating in 1959 with a bachelor's degree in history, minoring in religion. She received her master's in education from William & Mary. While teaching at St. Margaret's School in Tappahannock, Virginia she met her beloved husband of 57 years, John (Ian) Whitney MacDonald, Jr. Though she held various other jobs, including positions with the College Board and the Chicago Tribune, her passion was for all-girls education. Besides St. Margaret's she taught at Ellis School in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania and Lincoln School in Providence, Rhode Island where she was initially head of the lower and middle schools, and ultimately head of the upper school. Margaret then took the headmistress position at Ashley Hall in Charleston, South Carolina, which she led for 19 years before retiring in 2004. At that time she was honored for raising academic standards and establishing financial aid programs and scholarships, as well as initiating the first master plan for the school. She also enlarged the footprint of the school, developed teaching excellence awards, and added both an admissions department and an aquatics program. In 2014 Margaret received the Converse 125 Award as an honored alumna.

While living in Providence and Charleston Margaret was an active member at St. Martin's Episcopal Church and Grace Church Cathedral, respectively, serving as a Lector and Lay Eucharistic Minister. As a longtime summer resident in Little Compton, Rhode Island she also attended St. Andrew's By-The-Sea.

Margaret (PC or Peacy to her family) was an avid reader of mysteries, and a wonderful letter writer with a big address box. Dogs, flowers and children brought her joy. When summer fruits and vegetables ripened she adored a good tomato sandwich. And though she feared the water after a frightening incident at the beach as a child, she loved her family more and became a fixture on the Sakonnet Yacht Club race committee launch as Ian and the kids sailed. Everywhere she went her Southern charm, warmth and genuine interest in people won her friends. Even as Alzheimer's robbed her of memory and language, she captured the hearts of the wonderful staff at The Seasons and Grandview Gardens where she lived for the last few years. We are forever grateful to all of them for the safe haven they helped create for Margaret.

In addition to her husband Ian, Margaret is survived by her stepchildren Mallory Walsh (Michael), Whitney MacDonald (Amy), Ted MacDonald (Laurie); her grandchildren Christopher Walsh (Devan), Daniel Walsh (Shannen), Eli MacDonald (Eva), and Asher MacDonald; niece Marli Foxworth Carver and Marli's son Aidan; and great-granddaughters Evelyn and Maeve Walsh. She also leaves her brother Joseph Campbell (Brenda) and her sister Martha Byrd Mathis (Nathan). She is also mourned by her many other nieces, nephews, god children and the former students we encounter to this day.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on July 19th at St. Andrew's in Little Compton. In lieu of flowers donations can be made in her memory to the Alzheimer's Association.