Obituary of Matthew J. McDonald

On August 19th, Matthew McDonald, loving companion to his four-legged best friend Marley, passed away at the age of 38. Matthew was born in Hartford, CT and resided in Barkhamsted his entire life. Matthew was known for his big heart, infectious smile, and huge bear hugs! He was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed fishing, hiking, and spending time down by the river. Matthew would do anything for anyone and any animal. He had an enormous love for dogs. He would rescue and happily care for any dog that he met along his travels. Matthew always lit up the room with his “sweetheart” greetings and sense of humor. He also loved to talk and tell stories . . . lots of stories! If you ever wanted him to stop talking, you just needed to grab a jar of mayonnaise! Matthew was a landscaper and enjoyed his time working at both Better Blades in Barkhamsted and Twin Landscaping in Canton. He also worked many seasonal positions at Jeannine Fund Raisers in New Hartford, where he captivated the hearts of the many co-workers that he equally adored. At the tender age of one, Matthew’s mother, Robin McDonald, passed away unexpectedly. His maternal grandparents, John and Pauline McDonald, adopted and raised him and his sisters as their own children. Matthew helped take care of his grandfather and always called him his “best friend.” Throughout Matthew’s short but incredibly meaningful life, he touched so many. In addition to his grandfather, John McDonald, Sr., he is survived by his sisters, Celine Hines and her husband Ryan of Berlin and Tara Robbins and her husband Craig of Canton; his aunt, Celeste Wilson and her husband Chip of East Granby; his uncle, John McDonald Jr. and his partner Eunice Johnson of Barkhamsted; and the best neighbors and friends he could have asked for, Rick and Denise Melanson. He will also be sadly missed by his nieces and nephews, cousins and the many friends he met along the way, whom he considered family. He was preceded in death by his mother, Robin McDonald; his maternal grandmother, Pauline McDonald and his close cousin, Sammy McDonald. While Matthew was afflicted with inner struggles during his time on earth, his family and friends never stopped loving him and only wish that he believed in himself as much as they did. We are comforted that his soul is finally at peace. A service in remembrance of Matthew will be held on Saturday, August 28th at 10:30 am at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 39 Prospect Street in New Hartford.