Jane McDonald

“Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.”-St. Teresa of Calcutta

After a life filled with faith, love, service, and many holy moments, Jane McDonald, 82, passed away peacefully on October 3, 2026, at her home, surrounded by her loving family.

Jane was born on December 9, 1943, in Grand Forks, North Dakota, to William and Shirley Hoverson. She graduated from the Sisters of St. Joseph Nursing School in 1964, beginning a lifelong vocation of caring for others as a Registered Nurse.Jane was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Judy Birkholz. She is survived by her sister, Jean Keegan; brothers Bill (Carol) Hoverson and Bob Hoverson; and her devoted husband of 62 years, Joseph McDonald. She is also survived by their children, Sally (Jim) Barry, David (Kerry) McDonald, and Amy (Todd) Scott.

Jane was a proud grandmother to Katy (Ray Cecora) McDonald, Jack Barry, Claire (Dylan Dodds) McDonald, Hannah Barry, Tom Barry, Josey Patterson, Lily Patterson, and Tally Scott, and a loving great-grandmother to Gabriel, Emily, and Sam Cecora. She will be lovingly remembered by many dear nieces, nephews, and extended family and friends.

Jane and Joe’s married life began in North Dakota and led them to New Jersey, Minnesota, Missouri, Texas, Singapore, and finally back to Missouri in retirement. Wherever they lived, they flourished and built lasting friendships. Jane had a remarkable gift for making people feel welcome—she truly never met a stranger. Her warmth, generosity, and genuine interest in others allowed her to create friendships that endured across continents and throughout the many chapters of her life.

Jane and Joe’s lasting legacy is reflected in their unwavering commitment to one another, their family, their faith, and their service to others. Jane treasured time spent with her children and grandchildren, as well as with family and friends, both old and new. Her home and her heart were always open to those she loved.

Throughout her life, Jane found many ways to serve her community. She was involved with organizations including Assistance League of Mid-Missouri, King’s Daughters, Mother Singers, University of Missouri Chorale Union, and Women of Lourdes. She had a lifelong appreciation for the arts, finding beauty in every melody, canvas, and written word. Her love of music, art, and literature was reflected in her participation in multiple choirs, book clubs, and card clubs, where she found both joy and lasting friendships.

Jane will be remembered for her deep faith, generous spirit, love of family, devotion to Joe, and the countless lives she touched through her nursing career, friendships, service, and simple acts of kindness. Her heartfelt handwritten notes were a hallmark of Jane’s thoughtfulness and will be treasured by all for years to come. Her legacy lives on in the family she cherished, the friendships she nurtured, and the many people who were blessed to know her. We will always remember Jane on the back patio with Joe, cocktail in hand, listening to music, and enjoying nature’s beauty.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, October 15th from 6:00pm to 8:00 pm at Parker-Millard Funeral Home in Columbia, MO. Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, October 16th at 11:00am at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Columbia, MO. A livestream link will be posted below the day of service.

Expressions of sympathy may be made to Coyote Hill or St. Vincent de Paul Society.

“And God will say to those on his right hand, ‘Come blessed of my Father, take possession of the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me to drink; I was a stranger and you took me in ---- Amen I say to you, as long as you did it for one of these, the least of my brethren, you did it for me.”-Matthew 25:34

Arrangements are under the direction of Parker-Millard Funeral Service & Crematory, 12 East Ash Street, Columbia, MO 65203 (573) 449-4153.