Donald MacLean Obituary

Donald Robert MacLean, son of Robert Bears MacLean and Alma Werre MacLean, was an extraordinary man. A champion fiddle player, organic farmer, brother, husband, father, grandfather, cousin, uncle, mentor and friend, he left an indelible mark on this world and in the hearts of many. Although we feel he left us too soon, he also said, “I've had a good life.”

Born February 14, 1957 in Brattleboro, Vermont, Don passed peacefully in his sleep, surrounded by the love of his family, after a long bout with brain cancer.

He is survived by his wife and farming partner of over 40 years, Marnie Barberi MacLean. Together, Don and Marnie grew Thompson-Finch Farm into a successful pick-your-own strawberry and apple business that pioneered organic agriculture in the Hudson Valley. A gifted engineer, Don could often be found tinkering with machinery that he had designed and built for the farm. He invested years of meticulous research in growing apples organically and shared his love of cider-making with friend and collaborator Ron Bixby of Little Apple Cidery. Don served on the planning board of the Town of Ancram for many years, including as chairman, and on the board of the Columbia Land Conservancy. In these roles, and as a farmer, Don brought insight, calmness, and a warm demeanor to his stewardship of the land. Thoughtful and articulate, he was known for finding consensus and bringing diverse opinions together. 

An accomplished musician, Don played the fiddle with heart and soul, always enhancing the music of his bandmates. He was first introduced to the violin as a child through a strings program at his parents’ church in Brattleboro. Don could play almost anything by ear. He gravitated toward contradance, folk, and bluegrass, with stints in Applejack, the Green Mountain Volunteers, Mountain Laurel, and the Bash Bish Bluegrass Band. When Don and guitarist Tom Hodgson played together, the results were captivating.

Don is also survived by his daughter Lila Hochron, her husband Alex and children Luna and Miri; daughter Rose, her wife Meghan and children Saylor, Deacon and Cassian; sisters, Susan MacLean Rose, Betty Ann MacLean Baker, Marcia Lynne MacLean, cousins, nephews and nieces. He is remembered by his children and grandchildren for building forts and treehouses, sharing the joy of making music, creating toys from found objects, and reading Tolkien aloud by the fire on winter evenings. Uncle and mentor to his nephew, Keith MacLean "Mac" Baker, Don enjoyed imparting his knowledge of farming to Mac, who has lived and worked on Thompson-Finch Farm. 

A Gathering for Don will be held on Saturday, March 1, 2025, at 12 pm at the Copake Grange, 628 Empire Rd, Copake, NY 12516. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Don MacLean can be made to Kim's Hope, a nonprofit which helps patients and families dealing with a glioblastoma diagnosis and offers support for glioblastoma treatment, at www.kimshope.org. Condolences to the family can be mailed to Marnie MacLean at Thompson-Finch Farm, 711 Wiltsie Bridge Rd, Ancram, NY 12502.