George McDonald ’28

George McDonald was born in Flagstaff in 1910, to a father who had been a cook in the lumber camps of eastern Canada and a mother who had been orphaned in the famous feud with the McCoy family. The family lived in lumber camps throughout the west during McDonald’s childhood. His mother moved with him and his sister to Oakland. George was a track star at Tech. After graduation, McDonald worked on a banana boat going between San Francisco and Hawaii and later apprenticed as a pattern maker. He enjoyed working with wood, making gavels, bird houses, trivets, and other items for family and friends.

George met his wife, Barbara, on a streetcar en route to his job. They were married for 68 years and had three children. For much of their lives, McDonald and Barbara lived in Albany. It was there that he began a long association with the Masons, going through the chairs, becoming master and serving in many other capacities in several lodges. He was a 32nd degree Mason and received the Hiram award.

McDonald enjoyed his three children, seven grandchildren, and eleven great-grandchildren until his death in 2011.