How old WAS Irene MacDonald when she died?

[Erato]

The grave of James and Irene MacDonald shows her born in 1909 making her 97 or 98 at the time of her death in 2007.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/114661546/irene-m_-macdonald

BUT, all the other evidence indicates that she was older, in fact, probably considerably older. The 1901 Canada census puts her birth in 1897 and the 1911 census shows her birth date as August 1896.  She married James MacDonald in 1923 and claimed to be 27 years old at that time.  In 1936, on her naturalization declaration, she claimed that her birth date was 13 April 1897.  On the 1930 census, she said she was 25 and in 1940 she said was 40.


https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G98W-QQS3?i=374
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01ouh/
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9VW-JGN8?i=381&cc=2296985
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01ouf/
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01oug/

If she died in 2007, this would make her anywhere from 102 to 111 years old.  So what's going on with her gravestone?

[Erato]

Yikes!  I can't believe it but it must be true.  There must have been two people in Seattle named Irene M. MacDonald who were both married to a man named James A. MacDonald who was born on 9 September 1894.  The one I am looking for was born in Canada but this one was born in Washington and she's the one at Find-a-Grave.  Granted, James A. MacDonald is a common enough name but to also have exactly the same birth date defies all the odds.


"Irene M. MacDONALD Irene passed away October 10, 2007 at Laurel Park Assisted Living in Port Angeles, WA. Her son, James, daughter-in-law, Terry and granddaughters, Lisa Kuhnlein and Jill Jarnagin were with her when she died. Irene was born August 24, 1909 and grew up on Queen Anne Hill. The daughter of Irving Bennett and Carie Knipe. She was preceded in death by her brothers, Robert and Irving and one sister, Florence. Memorial contributions can be made to Hospice of Clallam County, Box 2014, Port Angeles, WA 98362 or to the Port Angeles Rotary Club Foundation, Box 730, Port Angeles, WA 98362. Irene is survived by her son, James, four grandchildren and five great grandchildren."     The Seattle Times on Oct. 15, 2007

[dbree]

Hi,

There is a US border crossing from Canada dated 5-15-49 Blaine Washington
MacDonald, Irene May nee Maitland age 51, US citizen, divorced, b. 4-13-98 Kincardine, Ontario, address 1011 Castle Ave. Toronto, was in the US 1923 - 1945, nearest relative sister Josephine Barker, going to friend Ida Wilbur, Seattle. Noted on the back, not voted or exercised rights of Canadian citizenship.

There is a Washington marriage 11 Jan 1947 at the Westminster Presbyterian Church, Seattle.
James A. MacDonald to Irene Maude Bennett, no ages or marital status', witnesses Kenneth H. Alexander and Phyllis Gertrude Alexander.

DB

[Erato]

So, he married two different Irene M's?  Sneaky.  I bet he did it just to confuse anyone who was on his trail.

[dbree]

  And that way, he never calls his wife by the wrong name.

[Erato]

It must have caused quite a to-do in the family.  These people seem to have been pretty hard core Scottish Presbyterians; lots of clergymen and church connections.