Beth MacDonald died attempting to save Molly J. and Jennifer R. MacDonald from burning, Franklin, New Hampshire, March 23, 2008. Sisters Molly, 11, and Jennifer, 9, were spending the night on the second floor of their family’s carriage house when an accidental fire erupted on the first floor. From the main house, the girls’ father observed smoke in the yard and awakened their mother, MacDonald, 40, teacher’s assistant. While the father reported the fire, MacDonald exited the main house and went to the carriage house for the girls. The father followed her there, but deteriorating conditions thwarted his entry. Firefighters located Molly, Jennifer, and MacDonald in the structure, all victims of smoke inhalation.
Obituary
Beth MacDonald was a daughter of James and Ellen Buxton Brooks. She and her family, formerly of Parkman, Ohio, had lived in Franklin, New Hampshire eight years.
A graduate of the Broward County Community College in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in 1992, she also attended the University of Lowell in Lowell, Mass., and the New Hampshire Technical Institute. She was a teacher’s aide at Bessie Rowell Elementary School and was devoted to her husband, children, friends and community. Before working at Bessie Rowell, she was assistant teacher for Red Oak Montessori School in Franklin. She enjoyed leading the Bessie Rowell School Parent Teacher Organization and was volunteer coordinator for the Franklin Middle School Parent Teacher Organization. Beth participated in the 4-H dog club group, to which her children, Molly, Jennifer and Sarah, belonged. She was an active member of the Ladies Auxiliary and VFW Post 1698 in Franklin. She recently baked 2,000 cookies to be sent to U.S. troops in Iraq. She was a dedicated American Red Cross blood donor, having donated more than 6 gallons of blood. Beth was admired by those who knew her for always jumping in to help, willing to do whatever was asked of her. She was a determined and creative self-starter who was always helpful to others. Beth was always like the mother, always looking to make sure that the kids were safe at Bessie Rowell. She’s the reason they have walkie-talkies at the schools. She came up with the idea when she was outdoors for recess with the kids and thought what a great idea it would be if they had them so they could communicate with each other and watch out for the kids better. Beth was thoughtful and kind to other people and very involved in the school. During teacher appreciation week, she’d bring in something new that she had baked for that day. She met her husband, George, when she was working in a pet store. She sold him two Cockatiels.
Beth and her daughters, Molly and Jenny, were the victims of an Easter morning fire. She died trying to save her daughters’ lives from a house fire.
She leaves her husband, George and a daughter, Sarah.
Beth was the recipient of the Carnegie Medal Award for risking her life to an extraordinary degree while attempting to save the lives of her daughters.