Joel Gregory MacDonald of The Villages, Florida, formerly of Georgetown, joined his beloved wife Barbara on October 11, 2023.

Born in Sydney, Nova Scotia on June 17, 1947, Joel spent his first five years as the adored grandson of Maie and Roy Chappel before moving with his parents and siblings to the United States.

After graduating from Matignon High School in 1965, Joel returned to Canada for college, taking a short detour in 1966 where on September 17th, he acted as wingman for his best friend at a Boston University dance and met the love of his life, Barbara (Field) MacDonald. They married in 1970 and raised their only child, Heather MacDonald, in a household filled with laughter and love.

Joel received a law degree from Dalhousie Law School in Halifax, Nova Scotia and a Master of Ocean and Coastal Law from the University of Miami. Joel worked as an attorney for N.O.A.A for thirty years, retiring as the General Counsel for the Northeast Region.

Joel was an avid cyclist, biking over 200,000 miles in 35 years.

In addition to his loving daughter Heather MacDonald, Joel is survived by his brothers Shane, Thare, Seth, and Ian MacDonald and sisters Denise MacDonald, Patrice Barklund, and Lisa Ontiveras, several nieces and nephews, and many, many wonderful friends.

Visitation will be held at the Bedford Funeral Home, 167 Great Rd., Bedford on, Thursday, October 19, from 5:00-7:00 PM.

A funeral service will be held at the funeral home on Friday, October 20, at 10:00 AM.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Cancer Society, 125 S. Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02130.