Donal “Don” Magrane, a longtime Rockville Centre resident who had three deep passions in his life – faith, family and travel – died on April 4 at age 90.
Magrane was born in Manahttan and raised in Baldwin. After graduating high school, he went into the Army Air Corps and served as a ground navigator before receiving an honorable discharge. He attended St. Francis College and later met his wife, Lil. They would be married for 63 years.
The couple lived in Rockville Centre for 48 years and were devoted parishioners at St. Agnes Cathedral for five decades. He went to 6:30 Mass every morning at St. Agnes before going to work at the Jay Madden Corporation, a Manhattan-based paper and pulp board company. He always brought his family to the 10:30 Mass on Sunday mornings and often sat with their family friends, the McGann family. They were always guaranteed a good seat because John McGann was the bishop of the Diocese for 24 years.
Magrane moved full time to Naples, Fla., in 2001, and was equally involved at St. William’s Parish, where he served as the sacristan for 16 years.
He was also an avid traveler and enjoyed spending time in Europe. He once visited the Jay Madden corporate headquarters in Finland, where the lumber mills were also located. He got to choose the tree to be cut down and watched the milling process of the logs until the final products became paper that was made into the company’s various products. He retired at age of 62, having worked for them for 38 years.
Magrane loved flying on the Concorde, but his favorite was the jumbo jet 747. TWA was his favorite airline and he was thrilled to find out that the iconic airline terminal at John F. Kennedy airport would become a hotel.
“I believe my dad was one of the first customers to walk through the TWA terminal when it was first opened,” said daughter Diane Forneri.
But his most memorable and ironic journey, in the eyes of his family, happened days after his death. Magrane’s wake was scheduled for April 8 in Rockville Centre, but storms in the area caused numerous flights to be delayed, including one that was supposed to transport his body. It did not arrive at the funeral home until 7 p.m. the night before.
His favorite holidays were Thanksgiving and the Fourth of July, days that the family gathered. He consistently sent birthday and Christmas cards to everyone until he could no longer remember.
“He was a gentle and kind soul, someone you enjoyed spending time with,” said Forneri. “He kept in touch with his second-grade teacher until her death a few years ago. He has also kept in touch with childhood friends and other friends he had met along his life's journey.”
He is survived by his three other children; Elizabeth McNulty, Donal Magrane Jr. and Brian Magrane. He also had 11 grandchildren; Stan, Brendan, Ashley, Morgan, Alicia, Patricia, Donal, Amanda, Dannon, T.J. and Kieran and four great-grandchildren; Cooper, Timmy, Rose and Ciaran.
