Joseph Francis Benedict MacDonald (born August 13th, 1957) passed away at his Mississauga home on Wednesday, February 12th, 2020. Son of the late Mary and Richard MacDonald, Joe is survived by his daughter Lauren, his siblings Rich (Trish), Stephen (Andrea), Margaret (Ronald), Lori (Robert), Ann, Catherine (Kevin), Andrew (Rina) and Timothy (Jingle), as well as many nephews, nieces, great nephews and great nieces. To him, the greatest words in the English language were Mom, Dad, brother, sister.

An inspiration to many, Joe was a friend to everyone and ignored no one. More than anyone, Joe understood and cherished his relationships – familial, personal and professional. If you want a friend, you must be a friend and relationships were his currency. Joe’s handshake made friendships that lasted a lifetime. Rising through the Insurance and Financial Services industries, Joe built strong relationships with customers and colleagues alike. It was Joe’s ability to understand what was uniquely important to each person he met and make that individual feel special, valued and important, that laid the strong foundation and allowed his relationships to flourish and withstand the stress of time.

His years at the University of Western Ontario (King’s College) were formative, defining years. An active alumnus, Joe presented to students on career days regularly including just days before his death and sponsored the Joseph F MacDonald Student scholarship. During his undergrad years at Western, Joe was a vigorous and respected Ontario Hockey Association referee.

Joe’s distinguished executive career included VP positions with Fireman’s Fund Insurance, Mackenzie Financial, O’Donnell Investment, YMG Capital Management, Citadel Group of Funds as well as being a board member of the Investment Funds Institute of Canada.

A proud member of the Mississaugua Golf and Country Club, he formed many friendships on the course and in the clubhouse in later years.