Donnalee “Duncan” McDonell

Donnalee Montrose

McDonell, better known

as “Duncan”, died on

March 30, at Benton

House of Aiken, South

Carolina, shortly before

turning 95 years of age.

She was born in Kenmare,

North Dakota to Jessie

Dunbar Lissaman and

William Henry Lissaman,

both of Brandon, Manito-

ba, Canada.

Duncan attended

schools in Williston and

Minot, N.D., and Minot

State University, the

University of Minnesota,

and London University,

England. During school

years she was newspaper

cartoonist, yearbook art

editor, Panhellenic Coun-

cil President, Chapter

President Sigma Sigma

Sigma and National Off-

icer as well.

From early childhood

she was trained in piano,

percussion and dance,

and performed in those

venues for many years.

She especially enjoyed pi-

ano accompaniment for

many professional vocal-

ists such as Orland Hes-

kin, tenor, well-known

comedienne

mezzo-soprano Anna

Russell, and others.

Over the years Duncan

modeled designer

fashions, worked for pho-

tographers, taught Senior

English Literature in

Wausau, Wisconsin, and

was Director of Research

for Waldi & Briggs Ad-

vertising Agency in Chi-

cago. In 1955 she married

Willian McDonell and

joined him in Aiken, S.C.

She was a member of First

Presbyterian Church, a

president of Town and

Country, a docent at

Augusta Historical Muse-

um, timpanist with

Augusta Symphony, and

performed and recorded

with fellow musician

Eloise Twombly as “Aik-

en’s Twombly-McDonell

Two Piano Duo”.

In 1977, with longtime

friend Marilyn Brown,

Duncan opened a down-

town Aiken, S.C. shop,

Plum Pudding. With the

help of their own children

and a fine staff who be-

came dear friends, Mari-

lyn and Duncan owned

and operated the store for

20 years.

Throughout her entire

life, Duncan was a fine ar-

tist, often recording favor-

ite scenes from her life

and travel in her paint-

ings, some of which won

top honors. One of Dun-

can’s most frequent desti-

nations was Hilton Head

Island, where she, her

husband and children en-

joyed many family vaca-

tions. Her repeated travel

to Santa Fe, N.M. and

throughout the American

Southwest with husband

Bill informed her creativi-

ty and later painting style.

She and Bill also enjoyed

extensive travel to Europe

and beyond, including

Japan, Turkey, Greece,

and Italy. A final excur-

sion with Bill, daughter

Laurie and granddaughter

Claire included explora-

tion of the San Juan and

Gulf Islands, and the

Inner Passage of Alaska.

She was a loving and gen-

erous mother, wife and

confidant, who enjoyed

all forms of art, humor

and good fun with her

family and friends.

Duncan is predeceased

by her husband Bill. Sur-

vivors include son James

Dunbar McDonell of Folly

Beach, daughter Melinda

Laurie Roddick,

son-in-law Brian Keith

Wolahan and grand-

daughter Maria Claire

Aguilar of Telluride,

Colorado, granddaughter

Jessica Mock and her hus-

band Jason of Marietta,

Georgia, and four great

grandchildren. Duncan

was a supporter of the

Aiken SPCA, the Ameri-

can Cancer Society and

many elephant and other

wild animal charities.

The Historic George

Funeral Home & Crema-

tion Center, 211 Park

Ave., SW, Aiken, SC

29801 (803.649.6234), has

charge of arrangements.

Expressions of sym-

pathy for the family may

be left by visiting

www.georgefuneral

homes.com