Mary Jo McDonald, 86, of Madison, died Jan. 27. She was the wife of the late Robert E. McDonald, who died in 2003. Born Oct. 31, 1927 to Max S. and Lorraine Littlefield in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, she grew up in Tulsa, and studied dance for many years during her school days. She graduated from Tulsa Central High School in 1945 and attended University of Missouri, and was president of the Alpha Delta Pi sorority.

She danced in the annual Savitar Frolics show, where she won the award for best female performer in the 1949 show. She graduated in 1949 with a degree in journalism. Following graduation she was asked to stay on at University of Missouri as Assistant Dean of Women, where she remained for one year. She moved to New York City and took a job as agency secretary at the J. Walter Thompson Co. and retired from there as senior advertising copywriter.

She married Robert “Bob” E. McDonald on July 7, 1968 and they both retired in 1971. Following retirement, they purchased the Madison Hardware Store and moved from Manhattan to Madison. They operated the store, which they called The Idea Store, for 16 years before deciding to fully retire. During their tenure at the store they travelled the world on annual vacations that were usually in February to coincide with the slowest month of the hardware year.

She was active with the Madison Chamber of Commerce; was treasurer of the Board of the Scranton Library, a volunteer with ABC for many years, and with her husband, was one of the original founders of the Madison Foundation.

Services will be private. Gifts in her memory may be made to the Madison Foundation, P.O. Box 446, Madison, CT 06443. Arrangements are with the Hawley Lincoln Memorial in Guilford.