Mae Helen (Goodman) McDonald

Mae Helen McDonald, age 89, peacefully departed this life on Wednesday, December 24, 2025, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She was born on August 30, 1936, in Whiteville, North Carolina, to Effie Hemingway-Goodman and John Luther Goodman, both of whom preceded her in death.

After losing her parents at a young age, Mae was raised by her grandparents, Rosa and Willie Goodman, alongside her siblings Bernice, John Luther Jr., and Eddie Goodman, all of whom preceded her in death. She worked on tobacco plantations in North Carolina while attending all-Black schools due to segregation, later graduating high school, an early testament to her resilience and determination.

Mae met her husband, Edward McDonald (deceased), in North Carolina. After a brief time in New York City, she settled in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where they married and raised their family. They were blessed with three children: Della McDonald (deceased), Gregory McDonald, and Kenneth McDonald.

Mae devoted her life to nurturing and educating others. She worked for Pittsburgh Public Schools as a teacher at Crescent Elementary School in Homewood, medically retiring in 1999. She lovingly raised her daughter’s four children, Andre, Michael (Tiairra), Dawayne, and Paris McDonald, as her own while doing so legally blind.

Mae was the proud grandmother of Ebony (Maurice) Kirkland, LaKeshia (Michael) Lee, Taja McDonald, Jamal (Erin) McDonald, Devon McDonald, Neveah Jones, and Keona McDonald, and cherished her 16 great-grandchildren. She also leaves behind loving nieces and nephews.

A faithful servant, Mae was a longtime member of  Deliverance Center Original Church of God, where they became her family. She will be remembered for her strength, faith, and unwavering love.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Mae Helen (Goodman) McDonald, please visit our floral store.