Anne Theresa (Crossman) MacDonald of Antigonish, and formerly of Mulgrave, NS., passed away on August 28th, 2022, with her family by her side at St. Martha’s Regional Hospital. Anne was born on March 28, 1952. She was the eighthof seventeen children of Charles & Evangeline Crossman (Bellefontaine). Anne was predeceased by her husband of 52 years, Leonard Daniel MacDonald. She is survived by their children Karen Ann MacDonald, Kimberly Ayre (Ian), and Sarah Jane MacDonald, as well as her eight grandchildren; Katheresa, Will, Kiara, Oliver, Albert, Edward, Wyatt, and Charlie. Anne was a loving sister to Mabel Karslem, Boston; Edna Benoit, Wolfville; Mary Poirier, Boston; Evangeline Derochie, Windsor, Judy Fraser, Westville; Rose Avery (Walter), Westville; Joe Crossman (JoAnn), Antigonish; May Hart (John), Antigonish; James Crossman (Dorothy), Antigonish; Bernadette Pace (Pat), Antigonish; Martha Chisholm (Wally), Westville; June Crossman, Westville; Lisa MacLaughlin (Kevin), Westville; several nieces and nephews and her extended MacDonald family. Anne was predeceased by brothers Douglas, Charlie and Michael Crossman, nephews Glenn Derochie, Thomas Poirier, Ben Derochie and Douglas Crossman as well as niece Donna England. Anne’s journey as a mother and wife began when she was just sixteen. As her children, we are so tremendously proud and grateful for her courage at such a young age to accept her responsibilities of motherhood without hesitation. Mom and dad were a determined team who worked hard to overcome many obstacles in the early years to build a loving, safe home, complete with everything we needed. Mom spent her life giving without question and sacrificing without expectation. We will be forever grateful for her generosity and love and inspired by her grit. Anne was smart, quick to find solutions, and generous with her wisdom. She was a woman with strong opinions and will be remembered as a person who stood up for what she believed in and worked hard to support her family. For fifteen years, Anne and her husband Leonard owned and operated A&L Variety, a small grocery store on Main Street Mulgrave that specialized in ship chandelling, a Sears Outlet, and a Recycling Depot. She was a formidable advocate for the town of Mulgrave and gave back by serving as a Town Councilor, a member of the Mulgrave Recreation Commission and was the rallying force behind a successful campaign and march against closing Mulgrave Memorial High School in 1996. Grandma was the boldest cheerleader when it came to us grandchildren. She shared a special and unique bond with each of us that we will cherish forever. She always had our best interests at heart and loved each of us in the deepest way possible. Grandma & Grandpy’s Wylde Street home was our family hub, and it was there that many of our most wonderful childhood memories were made. Grandma loved to cook for us. She made the best homemade chocolate cake with boiled icing, the best Roast Turkey supper with her secret ingredient stuffing and her gravy was to die for! Although she wouldn’t admit it, grandma looked forward to hosting her little darlin’s whenever we got on our bikes and "ran away" from home because we were feeling peevish at our parents. She continued to welcome us with open arms when we became teenagers and young adults. Always seeing us off with a full belly, a bag of supplies, pocket money and advice on how to conquer the world. Mom cherished the simple things in life. She loved music and loved to dance, a good cup of tea, tending her flower gardens, watching decorating shows and finding new ways to change up her spaces, feeding the songbirds, chatting with her neighbors, sharing a conversation with her friends and family, making puzzles, playing cards, (especially crib), and Chinese checkers, attending an occasional game of bingo, and the fall fair, and snuggling her dogs (Maggie, baby Charlie and Mikey). When mom was younger, she loved to rabbit hunt with dad and fish for trout and mackerel. Mom’s favorite season was Christmas, and nothing made her happier than to give with joy and love and watch as her gifts were joyfully received. She would plan the perfect selection of gifts all year and delighted at teasing us to guess the contents of the wrapped boxes. Mom put so much love into the process that even after the gift was gone, the spirit of her giving remained. Mom will be profoundly missed as a loving mother, supportive sister, aunt, sister-in-law, friend, and the world’s best Grandma. The past ten months without dad were heartbreaking for mom and we are comforted in our belief that they have been reunited and will together resume watching over all the people they love. "When Someone You Love Becomes a Memory, the Memory Becomes a Treasure" The family gives heartfelt thanks to the incredible health care team of surgeons, doctors and nurses in the Intensive Care Unit, St. Marthas Regional Hospital and to Doctor Glenn Gallivan for his care as her family physician. Visitation will take place on Wednesday, August 31, 2022 from 4-9 p.m. at the Mulgrave and Area Resting Place. A Celebration of Life will be held at 1 p.m. on Thursday, September 1 at the St. Lawrence Roman Catholic Church, Mulgrave. Reception to follow at the Mulgrave Fire Hall. Donations in memory of Anne may be made to the S.P.C.A. or the St. Lawrence Cemetery Fund, Mulgrave. Words of comfort ma be forwarded to the family at www.haverstocks.com Visitation Information Visitation Wednesday, August 31, 2022 Visitation Time 4 - 9 p.m. Visitation Location Mulgrave and Area Resting Place Service Information Service Date Thursday, September 1, 2022 Service Time 1 p.m. Service Location St. Lawrence Roman Catholic Church, Mulgrave Burial Information Burial Date Thursday, September 1, 2022 Burial Time Following the funeral mass Burial Location St. Lawrence Parish Cemetery, Mulgrave