Daughter Recalls A Father’s Hard Work For His Family

Donna MacNeal was not looking to win $500 in when she was scoping out the news website.

Because her older son Bill is a police officer in another township, the Havertown native discover the Haverford-Havertown Patch through its just to see what was happening in her township. 

But one day, while in her living room browsing through the police blotter MacNeal, who is an instructional aide with the school district, came upon the Father’s Day contest.

“I didn’t think I was going to win it. I only did it because I was thinking of my Dad,” the 54-year-old said as to why she entered the contest.

While sitting in her living room with the Haverford-Havertown Patch earlier this week, MacNeal recalled that her father, L. R. Stevenson who died two years ago due to stomach cancer, had a hard life before his business took off.

Laid off one Christmas Eve many years ago before she was born, Stevenson recalled to her that he had enough of working for someone else.

“‘I’m starting my own business,’” MacNeal quoted him as saying. Her father started his trash removing business, at first collecting trash in his own pickup truck in Havertown, and “he built himself up” from there.

“Anyone who had a business knew my Dad,” she said, describing how successful her father’s business became.

“He gave us everything. There was nothing I’ve ever needed in my life,” said McNeal, who went on to say that her father sent her and her four siblings down to the Jersey Shore during the summer when he stayed in Havertown to work.

But besides teaching his children about honest, hard work, there was another thing that he not only taught his children but also MacNeal’s three sons:

“If a cow lays down it will rain,” MacNeal laughed, explaining that it was her father’s favorite saying that he swore was true.

And what will MacNeal, who with her other son Luke volunteers at the Phillies stadium and hands out promotional items like bobble heads, do with her winnings?

She said she will buy her husband Daniel of 28 years of marriage something he will enjoy: a kayak. 

“He can’t wait to get it,” she beamed.