Malcolm James MacRae

Malcolm J. MacRae, 82, of Westfield, passed away November 27, 2020 on his 56th wedding anniversary with his wife by his side.  Mac, as he was called by family and friends, was born in Riverside, CT on July 17, 1938 to the late Malcolm and Margaret (Watson) MacRae.  His parents immigrated from Scotland, a source of great pride for him and his sister, Ellen.  Some of Mac's fondest memories were playing in his backyard on Long Island Sound with his dog Taffy.  He grew up during WWII, which left him with a great appreciation for those that served and a love of history that stayed with him his entire life. 

Mac graduated from Oliver Ames High School in North Easton, MA in 1956.   He went on to Northeastern University in Boston where he graduated in 1961 with a degree in History and German.  He immediately joined the Navy as an officer.  He was stationed in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis and then went on to be stationed in New Orleans where he met the love of his life, Carol (Conway), in the French Quarter.  He was honorably discharged as a Lieutenant JG in 1964 and married later that year.  He raised his family in Norfolk, MA where he enjoyed playing tennis, coaching two undefeated Pop Warner football teams, and jogging through the streets of Boston during lunch.   He ran in several marathons and was a lifelong Boston Red Sox fan.  Mac spent his entire career in the insurance industry, first with Travelers, then Meridian/State Auto Insurance where he retired from in 2008.  

Practicality was an art form to Mac, which he clearly exhibited when he packed to travel in paper grocery sacks instead of luggage, and when he purchased a car for his wife with no power windows, power locks, power steering, or radio.  He spent his spare time reading about WWII history, eating saltine crackers, cheering on his grandkids, and building rock walls with stones he collected from farm fields, which he painstakingly pieced together without mortar.  To his wife's dismay, he spent most of his days in a nylon running suit with a Red Sox cap on his head.  Mac was a gentle man with a wicked dry sense of humor.  He was proud of his Scottish heritage and his long, happy marriage, but most importantly, his children and his grandkids for whom he supported unconditionally.

Mac is preceded in death by his parents and nephew, Heinz Frey.   

Mac is survived by his wife, Carol, and their four children, MaryAnn (Sean) O'Hara of Indianapolis, IN,  Duncan (Karen Kearney) MacRae of Roslindale, MA,  Tom (Amy) MacRae of Carmel, IN and Becky (Lee) Coolidge of Carmel, IN; sister, Ellen (MacRae) Frey of North Easton, MA; grandchildren, Delaney O'Hara; Connor, Kyle and Logan MacRae and Clayton, Cooper and Campbell Coolidge and many nieces and nephews.

There will be a Celebration of Mac's life in late spring of 2021, when we all will gather to remember the wonderful husband and father that he was.

The family would like to thank Heartland Hospice and Bussell Family Funerals for their kindness and care.

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