Members of the East Bay Banjo Club were very saddened to learn of the loss of Mickie McDonald on January 5, 2014. Mickie was one of the stalwart members who rarely missed our weekly practices or Club performances. She was always thrilled to sing or harmonize with others the songs that the club performed, and she knew the words to more songs than probably anyone else in the club. She took great pride in never needing music to play a song. Her jovial nature and her desire to decorate for parties made her a natural candidate to organize the annual Club end of the year party. Her relentless search for old original sheet music yielded the foundation for many arrangements in our music book today.

She had deep and genuine concern for anyone in the club.  It wasn’t uncommon for her to call and inquire about a member’s well-being when they missed a number of practices or were known to be experiencing troubled times. On several occasions, she would visit members in the hospital or their homes to cheer them up and let them know they were not forgotten. For years, she presented members with their birthday card that she had signed by all members she could locate. Mickie had a particular fondness for our youngest members, and would sometimes present them with stuffed animals.
She will be remembered for her passion for the music our club keeps alive, her jovial nature, and for her genuine concern for the well-being of members of the club.