Mary Elizabeth “Lib” MacDonald

Mary Elizabeth “Lib” MacDonald (nee’ Pate) of Fayetteville, North Carolina, passed away on Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Henderson, Kentucky.

She was born in Fayetteville on October 21, 1934, to the late Fred Russell Pate and Ida Vontrice “Bonnie” Pate.  After graduating from Seventy-First High School in 1952, Mary worked briefly for the city of Fayetteville. She then moved to Arlington, Virginia, where she worked for the U.S. federal government including being employed in the Capitol and the State Department.

Mary married Robert “Bob” MacDonald (deceased) of Mill Valley, California in 1958. They had one child, Lorie. Bob’s job in the State Department took the family to Ethiopia (1961-1963) and Nigeria (1968-1970).

In 1988, Mary retired from the United States Agency for International Development whereupon she returned to Fayetteville. She and her sister, June, cared for their mother, Bonnie, until she passed away at 103 in 2014. In September 2022, Mary moved to Henderson, Kentucky to be closer to her daughter and her family.

Mary was intelligent, well-traveled, and well-read. She was very kind and generous to her immediate and extended family members as well as to friends and neighbors. A sensitive, compassionate, and devoted daughter, sister, mother, and grandmother, Mary MacDonald will be much missed by all those who loved and knew her.

In addition to her parents, Mary was preceded in death by her sister, Mattie Judson Fields (brother-in-law Wesley); brothers, Charlie Russell Pate (sister-in-law Delaine) and Dan Raymond Pate (sister-in-law Judy); and best friend, Donald Roy King.

Mary is survived by her sister, June Pate Windsor; daughter, Lorie MacDonald Maltby (husband Marc); granddaughter, Elizabeth Maltby; nieces and nephews, Georgia White (Bob), Carla Wren (Chris), Kevin Pate (Sarah), Melanie Norton (Ritchie), and Brett Polston; and eight great-nieces and great-nephews.

A graveside service will be held on Thursday, April 17, 2025, at Mt. Gilead Baptist Church Cemetery in Fayetteville, North Carolina at 11 am with Brother Larry Chason officiating.

Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to Alzheimer's Association or St. Anthony’s Hospice.

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