McDonald family

Elizabeth Szalontai McDonald passed away early in the morning of June 13, 2019; leaving behind three children: Seamus, Rowan, and Finn.  She was a kind and beautiful person--a nurturer with a love for all of humanity.  Every community she enjoyed throughout her life can fairly say she was a magnetic person of exceptional joy and compassion.  Her children also actively display this ability to impact others with empathy and positivity, bringing people closer to find success and joy together.  Beth and her children were and are a staple of their community. Dependable. Passionate. Kind.   

Rowan and Finn are sixteen-year-old twins and heading into their Junior years at Medina High School and active members of the MHS community. They embody the full attributes of their mother.  They are gracious, humble and compassionate.

Finn is a gifted baseball player for MHS and the Ohio Skyhawks all-star travel team (#7). He has received awards in all phases of his game. He is an exceptional athlete and respected teammate playing multiple sports on top of his lofty baseball travel schedule. His future is bright and Beth was his biggest fan, traveling with him wherever is talents led. Recently his team won the 16 and under tournament championship at Notre Dame University field.  The McDonald family are die-hard Notre Dame fans, so Finn's shutout pitching against Minnesota was a highlight and tribute to his love for his mother.  Finn's community support has been amazing. Parents, and coaches have already been stepping up grandly to enable current sports and personal experiences despite the family's income challenges.  We would like to enable Finn to achieve his long-term goals, including sports management, entrepreneurship, and working with youth sports.  With his great work ethic, mature emphasis on academics, and natural team spirit, he knows he will achieve his broad aspirations. 

Rowan also displays Beth's compassionate leadership style.  Leadership and a strong mix of talents make her a true Renaissance woman.  She has an extensive list of group and team activities she cherishes - playing numerous sports throughout her lifetime - and is on the Medina HS varsity girls basketball team currently (#30).  Rowan will be the junior class president at Medina High School next year!  She is also extremely active in her Church group and has recently returned from a leadership conference in Chicago which she paid for by raising money and working.  Rowan even worked part time jobs after school and paid for her own car recently!  She studies Spanish and intended to travel with her mother to Europe next year, and has already raised some of the money for this trip.  Unfortunately plans will change to some degree with the passing of her mother, but she is still looking forward to the adventure. Rowan's goals include teaching, medicine, and personal care.  With Beth's kind mothering, Rowan is a young woman that believes in herself.  The world will clearly benefit from it.

Coupled with the loss of Beth' income, the twins are facing their post secondary career without any college savings.  The proceeds from this GoFundMe account will be placed and managed in a trust (until they are 23) that will help ensure these young leaders reach their full athletic and educational dreams at the post secondary level. The goal is to facilitate personal growth and provide valuable experiences after graduation from high school.  These experiences would include tuition, books, room, board, transportation, travel expenditures, and any other activities that will assure Elizabeth's young children become happy, independent members of the global community and positively impact the world - just like their mother. Any contribution to the future of these two children is deeply and humbly appreciated.  

A celebration of Elizabeth's life will be held Friday, June 28 at 10 AM at Heartland Community Church, 3400 Weymouth Rd., Medina, OH.