- Date Of Birth: May 2, 1934
- Date Of Death: August 23, 2022
- State: Indiana
Anne M. (MacDonald) Black, of South Bend, died peacefully on Tuesday, August 23rd, after a long, full life.
Anne was born on May 2, 1934 in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada to Ronald and Anita MacDonald. She was a twin and while her sister, Paula, only survived a few weeks, she never forgot her. Anne attended St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree with a focus in elementary education. She became a US citizen upon moving to Dearborn, MI and taught for 11 years at Woodward Elementary in the Detroit public schools. During her years of teaching, she traveled the world with her friends each summer, visiting Europe, Central America and the Caribbean, and Egypt, where she was photographed riding a camel.
In 1967, she married a young widower named Raymond Black of South Bend, IN and instantly became a mother to his five daughters, whom she adopted. Ray and Anne had three more daughters and then proclaimed that “eight is enough.” For many years, Anne was active in Corpus Christi parish as a Eucharistic Minister and a member of the Altar and Rosary Society. Along with her husband, she was also active in the St. Joseph County Right to Life, earning the Pillar of Life Award. Over the years, she played in at least four bridge clubs – one in Dearborn and three in South Bend.
Anne loved baseball. Originally a Detroit Tigers fan, she changed allegiances and became a loyal Chicago Cubs fan. When the Cubs were on TV, she could often be found watching the game, while crocheting or knitting. She made beautiful sweaters and mittens and even made baptismal gowns for many of her grandchildren. She got all her daughters involved in German Township 4-H and enthusiastically supported them in their 4-H projects. She was a great cook and was famous among her grandchildren for her chocolate chip cookies and coffee cakes.
Besides her parents and twin sister, Anne was preceded in death by her husband; her four brothers: John D., Leonard, Morrison, and Malcolm (aka Hidy) MacDonald; her daughter Sharon Hoffman; great-granddaughter Adelaide Morrell; sons-in law Jay Smith and Kenny Noble; and sisters-in-law Betty MacDonald, Margaret Collins MacDonald, Jean Konchal, Joan Gretz, and Judy Broggi.
She is survived by her daughters whom she lovingly referred to by birth order: #1 Mary Rose (Craig) Nowicki, #2 Elizabeth Jean (Tom) Morrell, #4 Margie (Walter) Deacon, #5 Patty (Dwayne Kaczmierczak) Noble, #6 Paula (J. Patrick) Loria, #7 Carol (Rafael) Vargas, and #8 Jenine (Don) Ward; 19 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law Jane Cusick and Margaret (MacDonald) O’Shea; and many nieces and nephews. She is additionally survived by Emily Moynahan, whom she babysat as an infant and referred to as “daughter #9.”
Her family would like to thank Dr. Sunday, the staff on the tenth floor of Memorial Hospital, and Heart to Heart Hospice for their compassionate care.
