Ann Courtenay McDonald

Ann Courtenay McDonald made news at a No Kings protest last summer with a placard reading: “I’m 104 years old—I’ve seen Hitler—I’ve seen Mussolini—I don’t like what I’m seeing now!” She wasn’t kidding—she really saw them in the flesh, in Austria, as a teenager. And she wasn’t kidding about what she was seeing in this country, either.

Ann died on April 19, 2026, at her home in Holladay, Utah, after surprising herself and everyone around her by living to such a ripe age.

She was born to Ashley and Edith Courtenay in England on June 2, 1921, where her childhood passion was horseback riding. She left for the United States at 18 to attend school. However, with World War II emerging in Europe, her father told her to return home. Instead, she cashed in her return ticket and took off for California, telling herself, “What could he do?” After Pearl Harbor, her father told her to stay put in New York, which she did. She would not return to England for 30 years.

She married Roy “Mac” McDonald, a physician, in Baltimore, where Charlie was born in 1949. When Mac received a fellowship at the University of Utah in 1950, they moved to Salt Lake City, where daughters Leslie and Dusty were born. Fulfilling a dream, they lived on an 80-acre farm in Granite with pigs, chickens, and horses. The commute to the University could take hours—Ann was in heaven; Mac struggled with the commute.

They ultimately divorced, and Ann moved the children to Holladay, Utah. In 1955, she convinced famed Utah architect Stephen Macdonald (no relation) to build her a small, modern home on three acres of horse property, where the children were raised.

When Charlie went to college at Brown, Ann earned her GED, enrolled at the University of Utah, and graduated Phi Beta Kappa. But why stop there? She went on to earn both a master’s degree and a PhD in clinical psychology and began an eclectic career. As a youth advocate, she befriended many children in trouble (and hosted a few at home). She also worked at a maximum-security prison, where she would say, “They always kept their appointments!” She maintained connections with some even after their release.

Ann spent a year working with the Hopi in New Mexico and a season in Alaska with Indigenous communities. In retirement, she lived for a few years in Castle Valley near Moab.

Ann’s passion was the outdoors, and she was a dedicated and active member of the Wasatch Mountain Club. She ran many of the western rivers, climbed mountains (including the Grand Teton), skied, snowshoed, backpacked, and rock climbed every Thursday at Storm Mountain. Brighton Lodge was her home away from home.

In 1987, she moved back to Holladay. She continued running rivers, kayaking when she could, playing bridge, tending a lovely garden along Big Cottonwood Creek, and domesticating two feral cats who kept her company.

She was supported by Leslie and her husband, Andy White, who lived nearby, as well as dedicated neighbors and friends, to whom the family is deeply grateful.

In her 90s, she spent several months with Semester at Sea (and was joined by Desmond Tutu). The years rolled by, her family grew, and just moments away from her 105th birthday, her body finally gave out.

Her family and friends take comfort in imagining that she continues to watch over her three children, Dusty, Leslie, and Charlie; six grandchildren, Joe, Bailey, Chase, Elena, David, and Michael; and four great-grandchildren, Cal, Lola, Berkeley, and Townes—and, of course, the cats.

A celebration of a life well lived will be held at 11:00 a.m. on June 20, 2026, at her home. Please contact a family member or Inspired Funeral Home at 385-853-5700 for details.