William "Bill" C. Macdonald

LEOMINSTER---William “Bill” C. Macdonald, 71 years old, of Leominster died Wednesday, January 9, 2019 in his home surrounded by his family, after a long battle with Inclusion-Body Myositis. He is survived by his wife of 45 years Mary E. (Caisse) Macdonald, his children Rick Macdonald and his wife Mikki of Boxborough, Kate Himmer and her husband Andy of Leominster and Rob Macdonald and his fiancée Alexandra Smith of Pepperell; sister Susan M. Lefebvre and her husband Ernest “Buddy” of Clinton; grandchildren William “Liam” and Callen Macdonald of Boxborough, Lyla and Stella Himmer of Leominster and Brynnlagh Macdonald of Pepperell; nephews and niece Ernest, Joseph and Michele Lefebvre, Christopher, Gregory and Jonathan Hoyt. Bill was predeceased by his parents, his in-laws Harold and Marjorie Caisse, and his sister-in-law Margaret “Peggy” Hoyt.

Bill was born in Clinton on August 7, 1947, son of Frederick C. and Mary M. (O’Toole) Macdonald and had lived in Leominster for many years. He graduated from Clinton High School in 1965, received his Bachelor of Science in Education from Fitchburg State University in 1970, Master of Education in History from Fitchburg State University in 1975 and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Educational Leadership from Worcester State University in 1980. Bill was an educator in the Leominster Public Schools for 35 years. He taught at May A. Gallagher JHS before becoming an Assistant Principal at Gallagher and Johnny Appleseed School. He then served as Principal at Northwest School, Johnny Appleseed School and Samoset Middle School before retiring in 2005. He was a long time baseball and girls' basketball coach at Gallagher.

Bill was one of the founders of the 8th grade trip to Washington, DC, was a charter member of Leominster Youth Soccer and a member of the Leominster/Fitchburg Lodge of Elks. He also owned Partner’s Pub in Fitchburg from 1981-1985 with Dominic Ciccolini.

While teaching at May A Gallagher Bill was instrumental in making the yearly Washington D.C. trip for eighth graders into the trip it is today. Bill loved having students experience the rich history of Washington D.C. and would have been most happy if every eighth grader in the city had the chance to go. One of his wishes was to start a fund that would help students who would otherwise not be able to afford the trip to be able to go. In order to help this wish happen, in lieu of flowers a donation can be made to the Bill Macdonald Memorial Washington D.C. Fund. Checks can be sent care of Kate Himmer at Samoset Middle School, 100 Decicco Drive, Leominster Ma, which is where he was Principal for many years.

A funeral mass will be held on Monday, January 14^th from the Silas F. Richardson & Son Funeral Home, 106 West Street, Leominster with a mass at 11 am in St. Leo’s Church, 128 Main Street, Leominster. Burial in St. John’s Cemetery, Lancaster will be private. Calling hours will be held on Sunday, January 13^th from 5-7 pm in the funeral home.

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