Michael John MacDonald passed away on May 20, 2019, at the age of 57. He was born July 26, 1961, in New York to parents Edith and John MacDonald.

He is predeceased by maternal grandparents Alvin and Mildred Prashaw of Waddington, NY, and paternal grandparents Lawrence and Catherine McDonald, of Chateaugay, NY.

Loving brother to Stephen MacDonald, Kathleen Vallance, and Elaine Mayette.

Beloved of Margaret Love for 22 years.

Devoted father to Jonathan MacDonald, Eric Adams, Anastacia, Allison, and Katherine Love all of whom he loved and cared for deeply.

Michael’s family is large and diverse including in-laws Vicki MacDonald, Roy Timothy Valance (deceased), and Daniel Mayette as well as nephews James MacDonald, Ryan Mayette and his wife Jessica, and Tyler Mayette.

He leaves behind a multitude of grieving friends and neighbors in New York and California. Michael was a phenomenal painter and known for talking about every building he painted during the twenty plus years he lived in Oakland. Generally, that kept passengers in the car busy avoiding being poked in the eye as he pointed out about a third of the buildings they passed by.

Michael loved a good story, and with him any event could become one, with each retelling it would become even more outrageous, leaving family and friends with a mystery to unravel in search of the original events. The best stories for him, however, were those of his five children's successes. He lived to hear about them and enjoyed sharing how proud he was of each of them with everyone.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Grissom's Chapel & Mortuary. A memorial in celebration of his life will be held at his home in Oakland on his birthday. Then he will return to Waddington, NY.