BAR HARBOR, ME. - Marcia T. MacKinnon died peacefully in her sleep at home, with family by her side, on Thursday, July 5, 2018. She was born on April 16, 1921 in Rye, NY, the daughter of John S. and Katharine C. Taber.

Marcia was predeceased by her beloved husband, Ben MacKinnon, as well as her cherished grandson David P. MacKinnon and her sweet southern daughter-in-law Gloria O. Magruder.

Marcia grew up in Rye, NY with her sisters Ann and Starr. She graduated from the Madeira School for girls in McLean, VA and completed her college education at the University of Wisconsin, receiving her Bachelor of Arts in English. With her degree, she was able to obtain her teaching certificate.

She and Ben were members of the “greatest generation” and were married after the onset of World War II. When he was deployed to a destroyer in the Pacific, she traveled by train across country with her young son Duncan to San Francisco, where she waited along with many other young wives for the return of their sailor husbands. After the war, in addition to being a full-time mother for her children Duncan, Marcy, and John, she enjoyed a life rich with a myriad of artistic endeavors, from painting to beading, quilting, basket making, and works with precious metal clay. Early in her married life, she authored several short stories. As a determined and competitive athlete, she competed wholeheartedly at tennis, badminton, and golf. Hiking up all the mountains in Acadia National Park was a testament to her vitality. Always setting the pace, we called her the “mountain goat”. She was an ardent traveler as well, having taken trips to the Galapagos, France, Italy, the Greek Islands, and especially England where she often visited her great pals in Somerset, Chris and Shirley.

Of her many talents and passions, one was designing and remodeling homes. She had an innate sense of space, and was able to create warm and welcoming homes in many parts of the country, including Barrington, IL, Sanibel, FL, and Southwest Harbor, ME. Because she and Ben lived in such beautiful places and their homes were so comfortable, they entertained a seemingly endless stream of friends and relatives.

Then there were her cats whom she adored as much as (or more than?) anything. Too numerous to name them all, they included her Siamese Poon, Fish, and Mouse, plus Molly Bloom and Stokely, Hutu and Tutsi, and lastly Kibbles and Crunch, who were with her at the end. These cherished felines were an essential part of her life.

She is survived by her sisters Ann Richards and Starr Taber, her three children Duncan P. MacKinnon (wife Jeanene), Marcy MacKinnon, and John S. MacKinnon (wife Kristi), her granddaughters Starr E. MacKinnon and Kylie K. MacKinnon, and her great grandsons Zayden P. MacKinnon and Lachlan S. MacKinnon. The family would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to her devoted caregivers, not only for their excellent care, but also for the genuine affection that they extended to Marcia, especially Colleen Hyland of Southwest Harbor. A celebration of Marcia’s life will be held at a date to be determined.

If so desired, donations in Marcia’s memory may be made to:

Acadia Wildlife Center
P.O. Box 207
Mount Desert, ME 04660-0207

Arrangements by Jordan-Fernald, 1139 Main St., Mt. Desert. Condolences may be expressed at www.jordanfernald.com