Leah Marguerite Hebert MacDonald, of Augusta and East Boothbay, died peacefully on June 10, 2013, with two of her five children and one of her granddaughters at her side.     

Born in Portland on May 10, 1937, to Richard Abrahm and Etta Mae (Bagley) Hebert, Leah enjoyed a wonderful childhood growing up on Peaks Island. A graduate of Cathedral High School in 1955, she attended New England Business College in Portland and started her working career at Union Mutual Life Insurance, then continued on to positions at New England Tel & Tel and working for the state of Maine.

Leah moved to Fayette with her family in 1957, where she met and married John G. MacDonald of Augusta. Together, they made their home in Augusta for over 50 years, where they worked and raised their five children. In 1980, Leah went to work for the Maine Department of Labor as an administrative assistant to the commissioner(s) of labor through four administrations. Leah was highly respected and appreciated for all her knowledge of the department.

Having been raised on Peaks Island, the ocean was always near and dear to her; she had a profound love for the beauty of the coast of Maine, for the tides, and in particular for a good ocean storm. A member of the Boothbay Shores Association, she summered at her cottage in East Boothbay for the past 50 years.

She loved to entertain and would often say, “The more, the merrier.” Friends and family have many wonderful memories of holidays, especially Thanksgiving, spent with Leah, and also of times just sitting on the deck with her, enjoying a lobster bake, and watching the tide together.

Passionate about both music and dancing, Leah took great pleasure in attending many musicals and theatrical performances with her friends. She was an avid reader and instilled a love of reading in all her children, and greatly enjoyed history, trivia, and the occasional political debate.

A devout Catholic and longtime member of St. Andrew’s Parish, Leah was grateful for her many blessings, particularly for her family, her strong, vibrant circle of close friends, and for her cottage in East Boothbay, where she enjoyed what she described as, “The most beautiful view in the world.”

Leah was predeceased by her parents, her sister Mildred Strout, and her husband John MacDonald.

She is survived by her five children: sons Stephen MacDonald of Chelsea, Thomas MacDonald of Eatonton, Ga., and James MacDonald and wife Caroline of Scarborough, and daughters Ellen Fuller and husband Gary of Belgrade, and Kathleen Iannicelli and husband Alex of Andover, Mass. Leah is also survived by 10 grandchildren: Melissa Fuller, Amanda Lovejoy, Andrew Fuller, Caitlin MacDonald, Connor MacDonald, Lily MacDonald, Rowan MacDonald, William MacDonald, Ethan Iannicelli and Lucas Iannicelli; and two great-grandchildren, Clarice Fuller and Paxton Lovejoy.

Also surviving her are two sisters, Eleanor Golden and husband Paul, and Constance Arness and husband John; many nieces and nephews, two cousins, and her sisters-in-law Martha Anderson and Sylvia Ragon.   

There will be no public visiting hours. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 11 a.m. Monday, June 17 at St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church, Western Ave., Augusta. Burial will be in Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Augusta at a later date.

Memorial contributions may be made to either: The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital Development Office, 22 Bramhall St., Portland, ME 04102 or the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 6931 Arlington Road, Bethesda, MD 20814.