Donald MacKay (1885-1963)

[djct59]

This was probably to save £s as lettering on a MI was per letter rather than 'Died in'...6 letters...'From' was only 4 letters?
People who knew him would know what was meant but they didn't think of relatives researching all these yrs later 

I'm afraid you're being rather more generous to my granny's sister than anyone who knew her would be. 
She was a trifle "difficult", and rather invented Donald as a proud Canadian in full knowledge that this was not wholly factually accurate. Some who remember him have expressed surprise that she had the words "An honest man is the noblest work of God" carved on the stone, but he died when I was four so I can only repeat second hand tales....

[*Sandra*]

"An honest man is the noblest work of god" -   This saying from Shakespeare means that an object should not be valued for its external characteristic like glitter. But it should be valued for its internal nature.

Perhaps it is worth bearing in mind that World War One created thousands of casualties from physical wounds, illness, and emotional trauma.
The military history for Donald reveals he suffered from gun shot wounds to his left forearm while serving on the Somme and received substantial medical treatment for infected/inflammed wounds and operations - one in particular on 12 January 1917 clearing out "24" pieces of dead bone before being invalided and discharged medically unfit.

Sandra

[djct59]

The words were also engraved on her great great great grandfather's stone in the village cemetery in 1791.

Both Donald and his future brother-in-law were seriously wounded - John Mather MacDonald at Vimy Ridge in 1917. I know that the effects of WW1 were felt on all branches of my tree. While I know nothing about Donald's life in Vancouver, those old enough to remember him do not appear to recollect him with fondness, although he must in his later years have ben in fairly constant pain from a wound of that severity.