Jean Poling McDonald, 84, of Southbury died peacefully at her home July 12, surrounded by her loving family. She was a month shy of her 85th birthday. She was born August 11, 1932, in Nebraska City, Neb., to Mary Hilger and Carl Morton "Snick" Poling. Her fraternal twin, Joseph, died six weeks later.

Her children and their spouses, Ann and Mark Feltch of Newtown; Bill and Cindy McDonald of Sammamish, Wash.; Jack and Paige McDonald of Ghent, N.Y.; Kathleen McDonald and Jon Chris of Nogal, N.M.; Bob and Marcie McDonald of Stamford; Mary and Tony Scimone of Trumbull; as well as her beloved niece and nephew survive her. Mrs McDonald took great pride and joy in her grandchildren, Kaitlyn, Claire, Libby, Charlie, Sarah, Michael, Jack, Isaiah, Conor, and Meghan.

In addition to her parents and infant twin brother, and her husband, Bob, predeceased her.

Her primary years were spent in Talmage and her high school years in Beatrice, Neb., where her father, a pharmacist, had a drugstore. Behind the counter, Mrs McDonald worked as a soda jerk, making ice cream shakes for friends and customers. Back at school she was a gymnast, majorette, and homecoming princess.

Never quite reaching 4-foot-11 in height, Mrs McDonald proved a natural golfer. She won many tournaments during her golfing career. She was particularly fond of recounting the Beatrice and In/Outstate Championships.

Mrs McDonald attended Duchesne College of the Sacred Heart where she was a member of the Children of Mary Sodality and volunteered at Omaha Children's Hospital reading to iron lung patients. She graduated with a degree in sociology in 1955, and began a teaching career that would take her from Omaha to Denver.

In 1958, she married J. Robert "Bob" McDonald of Wallace, Neb. The marriage produced six wonderful children over the course of eight years, and they ultimately made their home in Old Greenwich, Conn.

Ms McDonald was a remarkable mother, a loving and calming presence in a rambunctious household, and was tireless in support of her children and grandchildren. She loved her faith, her church, her 12-step fellowship, and all sports, especially the University of Nebraska Cornhusker Football.

A wake for Mrs McDonald will be conducted from 6 to 9 pm on Friday, July 21, at Leo P. Gallagher & Son Funeral Home, 31 Arch Street, Greenwich.

Funeral Mass will be conducted at noon the following day, Saturday, July 22, at St Catherine of Siena Church, 4 Riverside Avenue, Riverside, Conn. Father Gilbert D'Souza will lead the celebration of Mrs McDonald's life. A reception will follow.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to either Catholic Relief Services at crs.org or to Regional Hospice and Home Care of Danbury at regionalhospicect.org.