Joanne (née Thoennes) MacDonald

Joanne Marie MacDonald (Thoennes), age 78, passed away peacefully on March 18, 2025, after a sudden illness, surrounded by family.  Born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, she grew up in a large family, was known for being fleet-of-foot and for her tennis prowess, and graduated from Murray High School.  Joanne earned a Bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Minnesota, where she met the love of her life – her husband Stuart.  Living first in Saint Paul, then on the East Coast for several years in New York City and Philadelphia before returning to Minnesota, they raised two children together in their Saint Paul home of more than 46 years.

Joanne’s professional career focused on public housing with commitment to ensuring that Minnesotans from all walks of life had safe, affordable, quality places to live.  Her work in public housing spanned positions in Dakota County, the Minnesota Senior Federation, and the Saint Paul Public Housing Agency.

Joanne’s love for her family was most important. A true life partner to Stuart through both good and harder times, they loved to laugh together and shared many adventures with and without the kids driving cross-country visiting family in California, Texas, Virginia, and many places between; touring historic sites and pre-historic sites, especially during a memorable month-long vacation in Scotland; and enjoying too-many-to-count trips to their favorite – Minnesota’s North Shore of Lake Superior.  Joanne was simply the best Mom her children Lisa and Eric could have ever asked for – present, loving, funny, supportive, always there to help, to guide, and to laugh with.  Watching Joanne with her sisters was to see continuous laughter and conversation so fast that the words blurred together, becoming a language of their own.  A compassionate and fun Aunt to her many nieces and nephews, they will always remember Joanne’s champion baker skills crafting meticulous Buche de Noel cakes during Christmas gatherings.  

Although a tireless and selfless (and occasionally too stubborn for her own good) worker on behalf of all of us, Joanne relaxed in the presence of granddaughter Carolyn and twin grandsons James and Matthias.  She often said that she felt she truly “arrived” in life when she became a Grandmother.  Joanne loved her three grandchildren with unconditional joy and kept a close and loving relationship with all three, including making precious individual memories with them for several weeks in the Saint Paul family home nearly every summer.

Joanne was preceded in death by parents Eleanor and Norbert Thoennes, and sisters Margaret, Eileen, Kathy, and Mary Ellen.  She is survived by husband of 56 years Stuart, children Lisa (Dave) and Eric (Ashela), grandchildren Carolyn, James, and Matthias, brother John (Vickie), sister Barbara, and a large and loving extended family and close friends.

Joanne was, simply, the very best.  We love her very much, will miss her forever, and will do our best to honor her memory with love, kindness, and laughter.

A celebration of Joanne’s life will be held at a later date.