Linda Alice (Davis) McDonald

 Linda Alice Davis McDonald, passed away peacefully in her home in Napa, CA, on May 21, 2021, surrounded by family after a year-long illness with bladder cancer. Her husband, William McDonald, predeceased her in 2016.

She is survived by her step-daughters: Janice McDonald (Leggitt) of Denver, CO, Carol Rettig of Pasadena, CA; and her brother, Hal Davis of Novato, CA. She is survived by numerous relatives on both sides of the family, including: Hal (Susan) Davis and their son, Ryan (Gina) and children: Addy, Benny, Evie, and Weston; their daughter, Katie Davis and children: Brynlie and Hadley; and their son, Matthew Davis. Other relatives include: niece, Stacey (Steven) Stein and children: Alex and Peter; niece, Melinda Slattery and children: Brooke and Joey; step-daughter, Janice McDonald (Jim Leggitt) and daughter, Kelsey; and step-daughter, Carol (Mark) Rettig and sons: Riley, Chase, and Hayden.

Likewise, Linda was very close with many Cordes relatives, especially Maureen (Jim) Mallon and son, James; as well as other McCourts, namely: Beth (Mike) Witiw and their daughter, Lisa (John) Blizzard and children: Henry, Harry, Edward; and Louis and also their son, Mike (Gretchen) Witiw and children: Clive and Benjamin. Many other relatives in the "Cordes Clan" will miss her at family gatherings. Linda also enjoyed the close relationships over the years with friends: Joan Marsky Slattery, Mary Beth Mattinson Rodee, and Trudy Hill.

Linda was born on December 15, 1943, at St. Mary's Hospital in San Francisco to Dorothy and Harry Davis, their third child. Her parents and older sister, Dottie Shorum, predeceased her. Raised in Golden Gate Heights on 16th Avenue for her first nine years, Linda attended Notre Dame Des Victoires Grammar School with her two siblings. When the family moved to Palo Alto in 1953, she transferred to the Palo Alto School District, and then attended the Convent of the Sacred Heart High School in Menlo Park. Upon graduation in 1961, she attended three years at UC Berkeley before embarking on a business career.

Beginning as a secretary for Link, a manufacturer of pilot training devices, she finished her working career in the late 1980s as the head of Human Resources for a cement company in southern California.

It was during her working career that she met William McDonald, a Senior Vice President for Hilton Hotels, who became the love of her life. They were married in 1987, after a week-long celebration, culminating in a gala wedding held at the Hilton Hawaiian Village at Waikiki Beach. The wedding ceremony was attended by Barron Hilton, the CEO of Hilton Hotels, and family members and business acquaintances were treated graciously by the entire HIlton staff.

Linda loved her yearly trips with Bill back to Hawaii each October to celebrate their wedding anniversary.

Linda and Bill resided in Camarillo, CA, for the next several years while Bill finished up his career at Hilton. When Bill could get the time off, they would make the long drive from southern California to Bill's beach house in Oregon where they would spend time for relaxation. When Bill retired, they moved to east Napa, where they had purchased three acres of land, and built a house. Eventually they installed a working vineyard on the front two acres with Linda as the CEO.

Over the years, that home was the center of many special occasion/ happy family holiday gatherings. LInda and Bill also traveled extensively, first to the South Pacific, Australia, and Asia, and then to northern Europe, including Ireland and Scotland. Linda left a prolific number of photographs of their travels and she kept many photos she took at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. They kept busy and were members of the Napa Valley Country Club, playing golf often. They also attended many Super Bowl football games, once riding to the game on a private airplane with the owner of the Oakland Raiders.

In time, they down-sized from their vineyard property and moved to a home at the north end of Napa. Linda and Bill always loved their Airedale dogs. They remained avid sports fans and cherished their trips to the East Coast to watch two of Bill's grandsons, Chase and Hayden Rettig, play college football. After Bill passed away in 2016, Linda looked forward to visits from various family members and she appreciated the care given to her from Carol and Mark Rettig.

Linda treasured her family and friends, keeping greeting cards, announcements, pictures, and letters from others over the years. She had a beautiful smile, infectious laugh and undeniable wit, delighting in giving humorous cards and clever gifts to others. She was a fun-loving and generous individual who showed keen insight into others, telling things like they were. Linda was a humble and unassuming woman who was a joy to be around and accepted others for who they were. She has been and will be truly missed by those who knew her and loved her.

A Catholic Chapel Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, November 17, 2022, at Tulocay Funeral Home, 411 Coombsville Road, Napa, CA, 94559. A Graveside Committal Service will follow at Tulocay Cemetery.

Dear Linda, rest in peace.

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