Theresa Marie Mcdonald

Theresa Marie McDonald (née Daley) passed away peacefully on May 2, 2024 at the age of 97. Born in Philadelphia in 1926, Theresa was the beloved second youngest of 10 children of William and Catherine Gallagher Daley.

Theresa grew up in northeast Philadelphia where she attended Hallahan High, but left before graduating to go to work in an administrative position at Sears. She and her nearest siblings, Peggy, Frank and Matt, were inseparable.

In 1947, during a pivotal trip to Wildwood, NJ, Theresa's life changed forever when she met James (Jim) McDonald. Theresa and a girlfriend had taken a train to Wildwood, while Jim had opted for the bus. They met at a lunch counter, and the attraction was immediate. Jim was so taken by Theresa that he traded in his bus ticket for a train ticket just to ride home with her to Philadelphia. The couple married the following year, embarking on a union that would span five decades and produce six children.

In 1953, they moved to Baltimore with their first two sons and settled in Edmondson Village, where Jim worked as the shipping supervisor for the A&P bakery. During the next decade their family grew with four more children and, in 1964, Jim and Theresa moved to Reisterstown, Maryland, where Theresa lived for the next 60 years.

They cultivated a wide circle of friends, sharing in the joys and challenges of life. They raised their children together, spending countless evenings and weekends on the front lawn, with kids playing in the street, hosting barbecues, laughing and enjoying their tight-knit neighborhood.

In the late 1960s, Theresa took a job as a deli lady at the A&P. She worked until she was 75 years old and was celebrated in an article in the Reisterstown Community Times when she retired after 30 years.

Theresa emboldened her children to be independent and confident. She actively supported their passions, and was known to be such an enthusiastic cheerleader that her kids joked they could hear her cheering underwater at swim meets. Theresa's advice was subtle but impactful. She earned respect through her actions and consistency, but she would not let her kids win at card games — they had to earn it. In addition to raising her six children she babysat for others to earn extra money. Her children remember overflowing Christmases and their mothers' knack for finding the most wanted gift.

Theresa and Jim were adored grandparents to their seven grandchildren. Sleepovers were a regular occurrence, with a fridge stocked with the special treats that each child loved, but that they weren't allowed at home. No matter how her grandchildren behaved, they were always "good as gold." As they got older, Theresa's generosity with her grandchildren, and later, her great grandchildren was boundless. She delighted in slipping $20 bills to each every time she saw them, always with a sly smile and a wink as though each time was a special secret.

When Jim passed away suddenly in 2003, Theresa's circle of women friends rallied around her with love and support. They became her constant companions, surrounding her with activity and friendship for the rest of her life.

Beyond her family and friends, Theresa's passions were varied and vibrant. Her contagious laughter was legendary, capable of sending anyone into fits of giggles, even at the most unexpected times. Her love for church, bingo, the casino, and reading, brought her immense happiness.

Theresa was sharp and quick-witted until the end. In a brief stint in a nursing home during her final weeks, she told her grandson that she needed to get home "because everyone here is senile." She had a wonderful sense of humor, and though she sometimes fumbled her joke-telling, her laugh brought the house down every time. And she never missed an April Fools opportunity to prank her kids.

Theresa was deeply religious and devoted to her Sacred Heart of Glyndon community, where she practiced her faith and sent her younger four children to school. She never missed Sunday mass or the holiday plays and Wednesday Bingo was a can't-miss outing each week.

Theresa is survived by her children Jim and his wife Nancy McDonald, Bill and his wife Karen McDonald, Ed McDonald, Mary McDonald, Tom and his wife Jamie McDonald, Eileen McDonald and her husband David Walton. She is the beloved grandmother of Jamie McDonald and his wife Jen McDonald and their children Cooper, Quinn, Jack and Delaney; Meghan McDonald Leimenstoll and her husband AJ and their children Drew and Matt; Michael McDonald and his wife Cass Price and their children Parker, Graham and Madison; Shawn McDonald and his wife Katie and their children Silas and Grace; Ben McDonald and his wife Grace Gahagan; Cameron McDonald and his wife Erica Bonelli; and Paige McDonald.

A memorial gathering will be held on Tuesday, May 7, from 5-7 pm at the ECKHARDT FUNERAL CHAPEL, P.A., 11605 Reisterstown Road, Owings Mills, MD 21117. A Memorial Mass will be held on Wednesday, May 8, at 11:00 am at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 65 Sacred Heart Lane, Glyndon, MD 21071.

A private inurnment will be held at Lake View Memorial Park, Sykesville, MD.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Theresa M. McDonald Endowed Scholarship Fund at Towson University. Donations can be made online at towson.edu/giving and selecting "Other Scholarships / The Theresa M McDonald Endowed Scholarship Fund ". Checks can be payable to the Towson University Foundation at PO Box 17165 Baltimore MD 21297-0219 with "Theresa McDonald Endowed Fund" on the memo line.

Theresa will be profoundly missed and lovingly remembered by her family, friends, and all who had the privilege of knowing her. Her laughter, warmth, and unwavering love will live on in her devoted family.

Arrangements are by the ECKHARDT FUNERAL CHAPEL, P.A., Owings Mills, MD.