Collette Bernadette McDonald, 74, of Grand Rapids, MI and Allenspark, CO, beloved wife, mother, and all-around good human, ended her fight againt a long illness on June 9th, 2025. She was preceded in death by her parents, including the very early loss of her mother, Elizabeth (Kalbusch) Doublestein, a WW2 internment camp survivor, her grandparents, and many aunts and uncles.

Collette is survived by her devoted husband Robert McDonald, sons Charles McDonald (wife Kimberly) and Brian McDonald (wife Ann), her four adored grandchildren, Celia, Evan, Cypress, and Laurie, her brother James Doublestein (wife Diane), and numerous cousins in her extended family.

Collette lived a life in service of connecting people to the help they needed, working as a telephone operator, a victim/witness coordinator for the prosecutor’s office, administrator at the middle school where her sons attended, and a blood bank coordinator.

Collette enjoyed competing in hunter/jumper horseback competitions – earning her novice classification while raising two boys, learning the two-step with her husband so well they taught classes; and excelling in the fiber arts, including needlepoint, knitting, crochet, and weaving.

Collette was an active member of her community, especially in her later years in Allenspark, CO where she found numerous ways to enrich the lives of her friends and neighbors.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 3pm on August 2nd at the Allenspark Community Church. In lieu of flowers, Collette would appreciate a donation to the Hilltop Guild of Allenspark, CO, who welcomed her and gave her a place to belong.