Current Events
On May 7, 2004, after a long battle with cancer, Alfred Francis McDonald passed away. Al leaves behind his wife of nearly 56 years, Mary Margaret (Peg), his 7 children (Mary M. Parker, Kevin McDonald, William McDonald, Brigid Quiter, Kathleen Shannahan, Timothy McDonald and Patricia Wozniak), 13 grandchildren, his brother Earl and his two sisters (Patricia O'Connor and Gloria Snyder).

The song (whose lyrics are listed below) was sung at Al's funeral and his family thought you might find the lyrics as moving to you as they were to them.
The Old Man
The tears have all been shed now, we've said our last good-bye,
His soul's been blessed, he's laid to rest and it's now I feel alone.
He was more than just a father, a teacher, my best friend;
He can still be heard in the tunes we shared when I play them on my own.

CHORUS: I never will forget him for he made me what I am;
Though he may be gone memories linger on and I miss him, the Old Man.

As a boy, he'd take me walking by mountain, field and stream
and he'd show me things not known to kings and secret between him and me;
Like the colours on a pheasant as he rises in the dawn and how to fish
And make a wish beside a fairy tree.

CHORUS:

I thought he'd live forever, he seemed so big and strong,
But the minutes fly and the years roll by For a father and a son.
And suddenly when it happened, there was so much left unsaid;
No second chance to tell him 'Thanks' for everything he'd done.

CHORUS: