McDonald retiring from Sisters Library

The Sisters Library will say goodbye to a long-time treasure on March 31, when Public Service Specialist Sandy McDonald retires, after 35 years as an employee of the library.

The public is invited to stop by the library on Friday, March 31, 2 to 4 p.m., for an open house celebrating McDonald's long service and her retirement. She is leaving as the longest-serving employee in the entire Deschutes County Library System.

McDonald began her work at the little Maida Bailey building, filling in when librarian Peg Bermel needed help. In those days, the library was part of the County, before the library district was established. The library had its own local board, and funding was touch-and-go at times.

McDonald fondly recalled examples of the community support for the library in its early days. During the Great American Read, community leaders, including the police and fire chiefs, would come to the school and read to the children. Bucks for Books helped fill the library shelves with books.

When the then-new library building was built (the current Chamber of Commerce office), students formed a "book brigade" from the Maida Bailey building to the new building, passing the library books hand-to-hand from the old library to their new home.

McDonald used to plan the Christmas parties for the volunteers and their spouses, and she decorated the library for the holidays. She particularly remembered several birthday celebrations she planned for Bermel, with the help of the volunteers and Sisters Rotary. On one such occasion, residents each brought one single flower to the library and their combined efforts created a huge birthday bouquet.

On Bermel's 50th birthday, instead of flowers, everyone brought a black balloon and Bermel's cousin sent a funeral bouquet for the occasion.

"I love to plan parties and weddings," McDonald admitted, as she talked about her role of doing the library displays and decorations. This time, others are planning the party to honor her.

During the earlier years, when McDonald was working part-time to assist Bermel, she also worked at a number of local businesses, some of which no longer exist - the old Sisters Floral, the Sisters Market, the Easy Stop (in the former Leithauser's grocery location which later became the drug store). She also worked at The Hen's Tooth, in an antique store, and at the gas station/health-food store.

When McDonald and her husband, Keith, moved to Sisters in the mid-1970s, the population was around 500 people. They bought their property out near the rodeo grounds where they lived with their two sons, both of whom were honored for their athletic prowess.

Their older son, who attended Redmond High School, was named the Defensive Player of the Year in football and received honorable mention for State. He went on to a career in the Navy, now retired in Florida and working as an EMT and pursuing his paramedic certification.

Their younger son, a graduate of Sisters High School, was chosen the Athlete of the Year and named all-conference in wrestling, football, and baseball. He lives in Redmond and works as a journeyman plumber. McDonald was a member of the Sisters School Board the year the lights were installed on the football field (1993).

McDonald's sons have provided them with four grandchildren, two of whom live in Redmond. She smiles as she recounts her sons' disbelief when she and Keith built themselves a new house on their property after both boys left home.

Crafts of all varieties have filled McDonald's hours outside the library. She has spent different periods of time as a knitter, spinner, and quilt topper. She enjoys porcelain dolls and antiques, as well as gardening.

A native of Roseburg, McDonald is the second of five children, born to a family with deep pioneer roots in southern Oregon. When her father died of cancer when McDonald was 11 years old, and her youngest sibling was a year-and-a-half, her mother was left to raise five children on her

own.

After a year in community college, McDonald had no idea what field she wanted to pursue, so she decided to forego the scholarship available to her. She had always known she wanted to be a homemaker and a mother.

As to her eventual career with the library, no one was more surprised than McDonald.

"If anyone would have asked, I would have said my sister was the one who would work in a library," she admitted. "I was too busy being outside to read books."

When queried about what made her decide to retire, McDonald said her doctor had encouraged her to leave a year ago. She has lived most of her adult life dealing with the challenges of fibromyalgia, following surgery for the removal of a tumor, and leaving her to deal with pain and fatigue for 40

years.

Sisters Library Supervisor Zoe Schumacher is going to miss McDonald. When she came to the Sisters Library, Schumacher explained, she inherited the entire staff already in place.

"I haven't known library life without Sandy," Schumacher said. "When she leaves it will be like I am missing an appendage."

As for McDonald, she says, "I will miss the people the most - seeing them."

There is one momento she plans to take with her. When co-worker Linda Kurtz retired last year, she bequeathed to McDonald the old library "fine can" that was used for collecting fines for overdue books.