ZF-3967 Lt. Sam MacDonald, Royal Canadian Regiment

[daretodiscover]

Hi,

I am trying to find an obituary for this man. I know from his wife Mary's obituary from February 2019 that he passed away in Nova Scotia in 1978.

I can't post his wife's obituary as it lists people still living but he is mentioned twice:

a) Mary was predeceased by her husband, Sam MacDonald (1978)
b) She enjoyed an extensive network of friends given her husband Sam's military service as an RCR Captain.

Grateful for any assistance.

DTD

[dbree]

Hi,

Mary's obit of 2019 has her death in London Ontario.

There is a Captain Sam McDonald, RCR,  in St. Peter's cemetery, London Ontario d. 23 Oct. 1978
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/145095877/samuel-mcdonald

DB

[dbree]

Hi,

The London Genealogy Society has a listing for a local obit. for Sam MacDonald 1978, age 56,
they give his community as Toronto.
https://londonmiddlesex.ogs.on.ca/obituaries/

The London Public Library has been excellent in the past for free lookups for obits.
https://www.londonpubliclibrary.ca/research/genealogy/research-request-form

DB

[daretodiscover]

Thanks a million, DB.

As it all transpires, Captain MacDonald resigned from the military in 1961 after 25 years and began his second career as a nursing home administrator in Strathroy, Ont, Ottawa and Sydney NS.

Typo on his surname on the Find-a-Grave entry.

Thanks again!

DTD

[dbree]

Welcome 

Do you believe he is your chap in St. Peters Cemetery, London.

I think he wouldn't have resigned, after 25 years in the Canadian Forces he would have been able to collect his full life time pension + a bridge payment till he reached 65 + medical +++.

DB

[Rosinish]

Typo on his surname on the Find-a-Grave entry.

You have to remember, often the spelling of names was never an issue i.e. whatever was considered correct was what was written down.

As an example, Iain/Ian, MacDonald/McDonald, no questions asked.

Nowadays, time is taken to verify the spelling of names unlike previous times.

With the advent of computer data, it's so much easier to verify everything, however, many people did spell their surnames different to the spelling on their baptism/birth details.
Settled spelling of names seem to have come around in the early 1900s when people were more literate.

I've seen different spellings of names on the same document in the past!

Annie

[daretodiscover]

Hi DB,

I questioned that. But in order for him to have spent 25 years in the military he would have enlisted in 1936....when he was 14.

He had two obituaries, one in the Toronto Star and one in the London Free Press. He's definitely the man in St Peters.

Hi Rosinish,

I'm going to see if I can find someone on RAOGK to take a photo of his grave marker. Both obits spelled his name properly.

Thanks again.

DTD

[*Sandra*]

The Expositor Brantford, Ontario, Canada
25 Oct 1978, Wed   Page 47

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110352318/obituary-for-samuel-macdonald-aged-56/

Sandra