It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Natalie J. MacDonald of New Canaan, Connecticut, and Stuart, Florida, on May 19, 2026. She was 100 years old.
Natalie MacDonald
Natalie was born on November 23, 1925, in Boston, Massachusetts, to the late Harold and Anne Jeanne Simpson. She grew up in Scarsdale, New York, and later graduated from Middlebury College. While at Middlebury, Natalie excelled in musical theater and won an audition to become the lead singer for the ROTC dance band. It was through the band that she met her future husband, Walter E. MacDonald, one of the trombone players. Natalie and Walter (Wally) were married in Scarsdale on December 15, 1951.
After graduating from Middlebury and prior to her marriage, Natalie began her career at CBS Radio in New York City, where she worked on one of the first celebrity talk shows. During her time at CBS, she became acquainted with the legendary broadcast journalist and war correspondent Edward R. Murrow, who offered her a position as his assistant. Because the role required long hours and weekend work, she ultimately chose to remain with the talk show, passing the opportunity along to a close friend. Nevertheless, she always spoke with great pride about her experience working with him. Additionally, since her job was in New York City, she also would recall the day the second World War ended, participating in the jubilant celebration in Times Square.
Natalie lived a life filled with adventure. Shortly after their marriage, she and Wally drove across the country in a used car given to them as a wedding present by Wally’s father. Wally, newly armed with a law degree, was searching for work. Natalie often told the story of how, upon reaching San Francisco, Wally would go door to door looking for employment while she waited for him on a nearby bench. One day, when they were down to their last few coins, Wally came running out of an office building announcing that he had secured a position in the legal department of Standard Oil of California. That moment marked the beginning of their life in the oil industry. They soon settled in San Mateo, California.
While in California, Natalie worked for an orchid grower, launching a lifelong passion for the flowers. She cultivated numerous varieties and continued growing orchids well into her later years. She later became the food and recipe editor for Sunset Magazine. Her first child, Bonnie, was born in California before Wally accepted an assignment in Tripoli, Libya, where the family lived for several years. In her typical fashion, Natalie embraced the experience wholeheartedly. Having studied French at Middlebury, she easily became conversational in Italian and spent much of her time entertaining her husband’s business associates and managing the household. When their time in Libya concluded, Wally was transferred to Paris. After the sudden death of her father, Natalie and Wally decided to permanently return to the United States; ultimately settling in New Canaan, Connecticut when Wally joined Mobil Oil. Natalie and the family continued to travel with him throughout his career there, including extended assignments in Jakarta, Indonesia, and Cairo, Egypt.
During their time in New Canaan, Natalie and Wally were overjoyed by the arrival of their son, Bruce, completing their family of four. They spent summers visiting Cape Cod where she loved diving into the ocean at The Beach Club in Centerville, Mass—never deterred by the cold water. She also enjoyed her travel abroad, including repeated trips to Greece and Saudi Arabia.
Natalie loved her years in New Canaan and devoted much of her time to community involvement. She served as President of the New Canaan Garden Club and was a member of the choir at the First Presbyterian Church of New Canaan for nearly 50 years. She also loved playing golf at the Country Club of New Canaan where she was a member for decades.
In 1984, Natalie and Wally built a second home in Sailfish Point in Stuart, Florida. There they enjoyed golf, boating, and an active social life with friends. Sailfish Point became a cherished gathering place for their children and grandchildren, and she always looked forward to their visits. In Florida, Natalie served on the boards of the Atlantic Classical Orchestra, the Florida Oceanographic Society and the advisory board for the Lyric Theater.
Beyond her family, Natalie’s greatest love was her animals. She had numerous dogs and cats, with standard poodles holding a special place in her heart. After years of helping her daughter care for the horses they kept at home, she became an avid dressage rider and spent many long days at the Ox Ridge Hunt Club, where she had been a long-time board member, improving her skill. It was her love of horses that motivated her to start the New Canaan Bridal Trail Association, along with several horse-loving friends, whose mission was to recut the trails of the 1800s that connected New Canaan to neighboring towns for the enjoyment of the riding community. At the time, it was still quite common to find people riding their horses along the roads and in the fields of New Canaan. Re-opening the trails facilitated more options for local equestrians to enjoy the beauty of surrounding woodlands and provided the basis for many of the New Canaan Land Trust walking trails today. Over time Natalie became quite accomplished in the sport, though she reluctantly gave up riding at age 92 when her horse, Keira, became lame. She was admired by everyone she knew in the equestrian world. In her final years, much of her affection and attention was devoted to her beloved dog, Pippa, who was always at her side.
Natalie is survived by her daughter, Bonnie McEneaney McNamara (Robert) of Stuart, Florida and New Canaan, Conn.; her son, Bruce Walter MacDonald (Virginia) of Stuart, Florida; and her grandchildren, Brendan, Jennifer, Kevin, and Kyle McEneaney (Camille), and Conner MacDonald. She was predeceased by her husband, Walter E. MacDonald and her brother, Harold Simpson.
Natalie will always be remembered as a stoic, caring woman deeply loved by her family and friends. She had a beautiful life. Her positive outlook was infectious, and she lived by the mantra: “Don’t worry—things have a way of working out.”
In lieu of flowers and in memory of Natalie’s love for horses, donations can be made to the Equine Rescue and Adoption Foundation in Palm City, Florida. (https://www.eraf.org/). A celebration of Natalie’s life will be held later in the year.
The Family is being compassionately cared for by the staff at Hoyt Funeral Home, 199 Main Street, New Canaan CT 06840
For online condolences please visit www.hoytfuneralhome.com