MacDONALD, HELEN MAE ISABEL - Helen Mae Isabel MacDonald, 84, of Halifax, died Sunday, August 20, 2006, at the Victoria General Hospital following a short illness. Born in Scotsburn, Pictou County, she was the youngest daughter of Charles and Helen (MacIntosh) Smith. She was a graduate of the Nova Scotia Provincial Normal School (1941) and the Victoria General School of Nursing (1945). On August 6, 1947, Helen married her beloved Collie who predeceased her by four years. They were happily married for fifty-five years. After raising her family, Helen returned to full-time nursing in 1974. She was a ten year employee of the Department of Family Medicine, Dalhousie University, where she worked as a team nurse with the late Dr. H. C. ("Curly") Still. She will be fondly remembered by Family Medicine's staff, patients and a large number of former residents, now in practice throughout the Atlantic Provinces. Helen was known for her nurse's patience, compassion & understanding. Few will be able to think of the Dalhousie Family Medicine Department without remembering Helen. She is survived by her son, Sandy (and Jo-Ann) of Toronto; daughter Colline (and Michael) Blanchard of Ottawa; daughter Cathy (and Barry) Gillis of Bridgewater. She was well-loved and will be greatly missed by her six grandchildren: Liam MacDonald; Andrew, David and Susan Blanchard; Patrick and Allison Gillis. She is also survived by half-sister Jean (and Ronald) Fraser of Pictou; half-brother Charles (and Patricia) Smith of Salmon Arm, B.C.; David (and Linda) Smith of Amherst; and several nieces and nephews. Helen was predeceased by infant brother Sidney, brother George Smith, sister Katherine Truman, sister Ruth MacDonald, stepmother Dorothy Smith and half-brother Donald Smith. Cremation has taken place. No visitation. A Memorial Service to be held in the Chapel of J. A. Snow's Funeral Home, 2666 Windsor Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, on Saturday, August 26, 2006 at 11:00 a.m. Reception to follow. Private committal in Bethel Cemetery, Scotsburn. Donations in her memory may be made to the Dalhousie Medical Foundation or to the Canadian Cancer Society. She lived well and died happy. [The Telegraph-Journal]