Rosemary A. McDonald

Rosemary McDonald passed away peacefully from this world to heaven at daybreak on December 18th, 2024 at the age of 76. She was in the loving arms of her brother John and Sister-in-law Bernadette as she embraced God. Her life was filled with her love for her family, friends, teaching, music, the arts, nature, travel, animals and antiques. Her love overflowed for family and deep friendship. A master’s degree graduate of Emerson College, Rose was a nationally known business consultant and teacher for over 50 years specializing in training and communication skills. She worked for many large and small businesses such as Pratt and Whitney, Lindt Chocolates, Great Bay Community College, LGMS, and Safeground Analytics. Her seminal article entitled “Effective Communication Via Listening Styles” Business Magazine 1989 encouraged more effective communication through discernment of a person’s speaking style. The heart of the article and her successful life philosophy was respect and appreciation for different communication styles while adapting our own speaking style to better communicate with others. In her career she taught and mentored thousands of students, workers and executives in the fine art of business communication, conflict resolution and human resources. Her teaching was a gift given to her by God and deeply embedded in her core spirit. Her humor and ability to tease was as renowned as her teaching. Within minutes of meeting her many could not stop laughing. Her humor was so powerful both her brother, John, and her best friend, Bonnie, would frequently, uncontrollably laugh themselves out of the chair they were sitting in after her jokes. Rose was predeceased by the love of her life, Michael “Mike” Murtagh and leaves her stepdaughter Caitlin Murtagh, partner Nick and grandsons Ayden and Declan Jenner of Rochester, New Hampshire. She will be deeply missed by her dear friends and especially by her brother John Valente and Sister-in-Law Bernadette of Northampton, MA, and niece Rachel Valente and fiancé Robb of Raleigh, NC, and nephew, Colin Valente of Durham, NC. In addition, she will be deeply missed by her kinship adopted relatives - Maria Brushway and her husband Mike and grandniece and grandnephew Lana and Harrison Brushway of South Hadley, MA, Johnnie Yeskie of Hollywood, CA and Lilia Erickson, fiancé Robert and grandnephew Bennett Goff of Westfield, MA. A Catholic Mass will be celebrated in honor of her life at St Mary’s Parish, 71 Lowell St, Rochester NH on January 11th, 2025 at 11 AM. A Catholic Mass will be celebrated in honor of her life at St Elizabeth Ann Seton, 99 King St, Northampton MA on February 15th, 2025 at 11 AM.