Hilda Mcdonald

Hilda Moore McDonald of Elkin, NC transitioned from this life to the next on January 29, 2018 at the Woltz Hospice Home in Dobson.  She was born on January 24, 1926 in Greenville, NC, the youngest of three daughters born to Lee and Lula Trott Moore.

She grew up in Greenville, graduating from high school there in 1942; and from East Carolina Teachers College (now ECU) in 1945 with a degree in Mathematics and Physical Education. Her first teaching position was in Guilford College; and it was there that she met her future husband, A. William “Bill” McDonald, recently returned from his front-line service with the US 1st Army in the Hurtgen Forest, the bridge across the Rhine River at Remagen, and the Allied occupation of post-war Germany.

Hilda and Bill married on June 8, 1947—a marriage that lasted 53 years until Bill’s passing in early 2000. Their marriage was built on love, trust, commitment, and the importance of family; and they instilled those values into each of their four children. Bill’s career in the telephone industry brought them from Guilford College to Elkin in 1956, and 305 Hillcrest Drive became home.

Hilda enjoyed a stellar career as a math teacher for 32 years, first at Guilford College, Greensboro Senior High School (now Grimsley), and UNC-Chapel Hill (during her graduate studies there); and then after her move to Elkin, at Boonville, and finally 20 happy years of teaching college-prep math at Elkin High School. She retired from Elkin HS in 1986. A number of her former students shared with her that she was the best teacher they ever had.  She cared deeply about her students, and wanted each of them to not merely succeed, but to excel.

She was a devoted daughter and sister, keeping family stories alive when she and her two sisters—the “Moore Girls”—would gather at her parents’ retirement home at Christmount Assembly in Black Mountain. Bringing the extended family together at Christmount each Labor Day became a tradition that she cherished. She also travelled the world, enjoying trips to England, Scotland, Norway and Germany. The Germany trip was one of her most memorable, when she and Bill cruised the Rhine River and retraced his service in WWII.

Her greatest joy, though, came as wife, mother and grandmother. She and Bill, with their four children,  travelled throughout the country, with camping excursions to a number of our National Parks; a legacy now embraced by her children and grandchildren. The arrivals of ten grandchildren and two great-grandchildren comprised a new and wonderful chapter in Hilda’s life. She was so very proud of each of them, and they brought her great joy. Just a month ago, as she held her three-week old great-granddaughter, Hilda’s smile was absolutely radiant.

After 53 years at 305 Hillcrest, Hilda moved to Parkwood Place in 2009—and it soon became “home.” She enjoyed many friendships there, and celebrated her 92nd birthday with her Parkwood friends just last week.

Hilda is survived by her four children:  Betty Allison (and John) of Lewisville; Barbara Wilkerson (and Tracy) of Pilot Mountain; Dr. Bill McDonald (and Anne) of Carnesville, GA; and Marian Lytle of Cleveland, NC. She is also survived by her eleven grandchildren:  Eric Allison (and fiancée Bettina Romberg) of Pendleton, SC; William Allison of Atlanta; Sarah Allison (and fiancée Ashton Tucker) of Winston-Salem; Megan MacDonald of Greensboro; Molly Keener (and Greg) of Winston-Salem; Claire Draughn (and Dustin) of Mount Airy; Margaret McDonald of Athens, GA; Hannah McDonald of Chang Chun, China; Nate Lytle of Cleveland, NC; Leigh Beth Shafer (and Matt) of Lexington, KY; and Will Lytle of Fairview, NC. Additional survivors are her two great-grandchildren, and a host of extended family.

She was predeceased by her husband, Bill; her son-in-law, Marion Lytle; her parents; and her two sisters and their husbands, Margaret and Chris Lambert, and Susie and Emmett Cheek.

The family expresses its sincere gratitude to special friend Liz Bacon, for her several years of loving care for Hilda, for the many books from Elkin Public Library, and the many trips to the Hugh Chatham Hospital therapy pool; and most especially the constant encouragement she gave to Hilda.  And also heartfelt thanks to Hilda’s Parkwood family and staff as her health declined over the past few years; to her wonderfully kind Parkwood “sitters” over the past year; and to Dr. Paul Gulley and his staff. And certainly to Hilda’s “Tuesday Lunch Group” from Elkin Presbyterian Church.  She loved Elkin Presbyterian Church and her many friends there.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to either Elkin Presbyterian Church (151 Hillcrest Drive, Elkin, NC 28621) or Christmount Christian Assembly (222 Fern Way, Black Mountain, NC 28711).

A celebration of Hilda’s long and wonderful life will be held at Elkin Presbyterian Church at 2:00 pm on Saturday, February 3, with the family receiving friends afterwards. The family will have a private burial at Hollywood Cemetery in Elkin.