Linda “Muzzy” DIANE MCDONALD
11/25/1955 - 4/13/2023
Linda “Muzzy” McDonald’s life can best be described as cinematic. She was born in Tokyo, Japan, in 1955. She had a childhood filled with international adventure. Her father was a diplomat whose job took the family to the Philippines and Honduras before they finally settled in Bethesda, Maryland.
Muzzy - as her family calls her - excelled in school and, despite her petite size, was incredibly strong. She weighed less than 100 lbs in middle school and still won the school-wide pull-up competition, remarking, “ I didn’t have much to ‘pull-up’” - humble as ever! She also judo-flipped the high school quarterback at a school-wide self-defense demonstration, but we’ll save that story for later. Muzzy was her high-school (Walter Johnson) class Vice President and considered a beauty by all, especially by Josef McDonald.
Linda and Josef met in high school. He noticed that she had dry lips, and he happened to have a brand-new chapstick in his pocket. He offered it to her, she took it, and the rest is history. They later married in a quiet ceremony in Annapolis, Maryland, on the fourth of July. The reception was held at his parent’s house on the Chesapeake and was quite the sight to behold - imagine tons of tattooed motorcyclists mingling (and dancing with) refined DC folks, and you’ve got the picture.
Muzzy always said that her greatest gifts were her girls. She loved her daughters with her entire being. She welcomed Joselyn Erin McDonald into the world on October 13th, 1987, and Meredith Adelle McDonald on November 15, 1993. Muzzy and Josef would look at their daughters throughout their childhoods and say, “Did we do that? Wow!”
Throughout her life, Linda worked tirelessly as a psychotherapist to support her Jacksonville, North Carolina, community. Joselyn and Meredith recollect countless strangers coming up to them in school and town saying things like, “Your mother is the best person; She saved my life.” Muzzy was a loving advocate for children and testified in many court battles to help children get into safer environments.
Muzzy suffered from mental health issues later in life. Depression is cruel and, for Muzzy, unrelenting. Despite an earlier amicable split, Josef moved her into his home and cared for her every day for 12 years. He did silly dances for her daily, which made her roll her eyes, but we all know she secretly loved it. Linda was the great love of Josef’s life, and he treated her with devotion every single day. His tender care for her during her darkest days serves as an inspiration for Joselyn and Meredith’s partners - Owen and Mike (respectively).
We lost our dear Muzzy on April 13th, 2023, from a vicious cancer that invaded her body without making its presence known until much too late. Upon receiving the diagnosis, she was courageous, saying, “I still think I can lick this thing!”. She also asked Josef if he would marry her again, and he said, “Yes! Of course!”
Muzzy passed peacefully and without pain, surrounded by her family, who held her hands, stroked her beautiful face, and told her how much they loved her. Meredith sang to her beautifully. Deborah Heck, Muzzy’s sister, lovingly read her Psalm 23.
To say that Muzzy will be missed feels like a laughable understatement. She will be cherished, loved, remembered, and desperately missed for all of the days of those who were lucky enough to know her. For as we always said about Muzzy, “To know her is to love her”.
If you have stories or pictures of Linda, please share them with her family at this time. (Contact info can be found at the bottom of the page.)
Contact the family:
Joselyn McDonald, josmcdos @ gmail.com , (910) 330-9552
Josef McDonald, (910) 787-5187
Meredith McDonald, (910) 330-9554
Honoring Linda’s Legacy
In lieu of flowers, please considering donating to NAMI, The National Alliance on Mental Illness.
NAMI is dedicated to improving the lives of persons and their families living with serious mental illness. The NAMI donation page can be found here.