VILLAGE OF FAYETTEVILLE – In between one’s date of birth and the day of their passing, there lies a dash that represents the life they lived.
Long-time Fayetteville resident Donna McIntosh spent much of her life married to Henry, the former mayor of the village, who described his late wife as compassionate, motivated and “people-first” at every turn.
“Fortunately with us, it was 55 years of bliss,” Henry said. “We never had any problems at all.”
Before she passed on in February, Donna also devoted large segments of her time to the Fayetteville Senior Center at 584 E. Genesee St., where a red bud tree was recently planted in her memory.
The tree was placed in the back of the property by Aspinall’s Tree Nursery & Landscaping so that its heart-shaped leaves receive rays of morning sun but also a balance of shade.
“I just feel it’s very appropriate that a tree would be planted that’s going to grow and flourish on this site,” said Mike Small, a village trustee and a member of the senior center’s board of directors.
In her life, Donna spearheaded renovations and additions to the facility for senior citizens as the chair of that same board. Specifically, she was responsible for a restoration of the kitchen and the addition of Parnell Hall, a spacious room that has been used for well-attended functions.
Donna also painted the walls of the senior center and started the mayor’s turkey dinner fundraiser held there annually.
“She was kind of like the life of the place,” said Donna’s sister Mary Lou, who made the six-hour trip from Long Island with their other sister Barbara for the Aug. 2 planting.
“She put so much into the senior center,” Mary Lou said. “She watched it grow and she made it better, and that’s what we’re going to do with this tree.”
At the start of the morning ceremony, Monsignor Ronald Bill from Immaculate Conception Parish made sure to bless the tree and say a prayer hoping for rapid growth. An ornament resembling a sunflower—a favorite in Donna’s garden—was planted in the soil soon after.
Janet Best, the director of the senior center, said the tree will be “full of vibrancy and life,” just like her departed friend.
“That woman was incredibly amazing,” Best said. “Whatever she did, she did it with 150% of herself.”
The back porch of the senior center will also be named after Donna in honor of her lasting legacy. From that porch, visitors can clearly view the tree, which will bloom in the spring with fuchsia-red flowers, the kind that Donna developed a fondness for during a stay in Tennessee.
“All the furniture that is on that porch now was furnished through donations in Donna’s name, so everything on it is a memorial to Donna,” Best said. “Being able to watch this tree grow from that porch just about every day is a blessing and a half.”
On top of years of involvement with the senior center, Donna and Henry were the recipients of the Immaculata Medallion, which signified their service to their Fayetteville parish since the 1980s.
“I could talk for hours about Donna’s dash,” said Henry, who first met her on a blind date and married her a year later. “I could say a lot of things, and they’re all good.”
