Augusta Leigh McDonald

Augusta Leigh McDonald

1953 - 2021

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Augusta Leigh

Obituary of Augusta Leigh McDonald

Augusta Leigh McDonald died peacefully at home on April 10, 2021, at the age of 68 after a yearlong battle with cancer.  She is survived by her beloved husband John Richards; daughter Katherine Leigh Landale Jordan; mother Augusta Garth McDonald; stepson Michael Richards and his wife Laura Hodges; and brothers John McDonald; Sam McDonald and wife Rhonda; and Matt McDonald and wife Melissa. 

Leigh was born in Charlotte on January 13, 1953 to Augusta and John McDonald.  She graduated from Salem College and attended graduate school at Maryland Institute College of Art and The New York Studio School where she honed her extraordinary talents in painting and sculpture.  

Even as she mastered different mediums, Leigh was an eternal student always excited to learn and to create new ways to express her imagination.  Throughout her life, her artistic style developed and was a true expression of how she saw the world.  Thoroughly original and classically trained, she held herself to high standards as she sought new ways to communicate beauty through abstraction.

Leigh was passionate about art, family, friends, pets, historic preservation, healthy food, and her Christian faith.  She lovingly observed the world and would see the good and beautiful things that many would look past.  She would see a field of weeds and celebrate the new flower just budding; Look at an old house and embrace the grace of the structure and imagine the lives that it embraced; Greet a stranger asking for help with kindness and grace.  She grew roses to personally enjoy, but just as much to cheerily share them with loved ones.  To see life with Leigh McDonald at your side was a joyous experience.

A celebration of her life will be held at a later date, when it is easier for everyone to travel.  Please check back for further information.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Arts Plus (www.artsplus.org), Preservation North Carolina (www.presnc.org) or Trees Charlotte (www.treescharlotte.org).

A graveside service for immediate family will be held Monday, April 19, 2021 at Evergreen City Cemetery.

At 11:00 a.m. Monday, April 19, 2021 a livestreaming of the graveside may be viewed via: TribuCast

Feel free to leave the family your condolences via the Tribute Wall provided.

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A Memorial Tree was planted for Augusta Leigh
We are deeply sorry for your loss ~ the staff at Hankins and Whittington Funeral Services