Farewell
Wednesday, October 26, 2011 at 12:41AM 
Written in honor of Mr. Jack McDonald
1925-2011
It was a Thursday evening in August when the Nault invasion commenced. We were busy being charmed by the shady narrow streets while looking for the Inn At Court Square. I spotted the small gang of McDonalds waving us up to the porch where they awaited our arrival. It was a great welcome and good start to a laid back visit to a place I’d never been, but with people who I’ve long been endeared to.
Kay and I have been friends since junior high school but my first McDonald encounter occurred at the Garden City Pool. I was 5 and Mrs. McDonald, the woman who has become a nationally renowned swimming coach, reached down and yanked me out of the water by my swim suit and lectured me on water safety. The woman is, and always has been formidible.
Kay has proven to be a life long bosom buddy although we lost touch with each other for a good long while. Back in June, she issued a casual invite for me to swing by Virginia to see her and her family. I’m not sure if she thought I’d really take her up on it but let that be a lesson in don’t say things you don’t mean.
Dylan, Sydney & Kay, Charlottesville
Although I had not seen Mr & Mrs McDonald since they moved from Union Lake, Jack embraced our visit with great gusto and wormed his way into my 2 teenage daughters hearts. I loved the way he interacted with them, always the teacher. They may not have realized it at the time, but they were definitely being schooled.
Like many old timers, as my dad likes to call himself, you could see he had gotten set in his ways. I’m old enough to appreciate that. Jack was truly a life long intellectual explorer who loved to share his knowledge. Not in a boorish way, he was inquisitive and interested in the places my life had taken me since I had last seen him.
We discussed old times, Garden City, the families we were both so proud of. I was an intent listener as he bragged about his wife, his kids and grandchildren. I encouraged him to update his musical repertoire with some Beatles. He was fascinated by my new talents related to blogging and social media. We exchanged our “contact info” and he wondered if I could give him some advice on setting up his own blog.
Let's go!
We all spent our last evening in Charlottesville attending a Charlottesville Ladies Arm Wrestling fundraiser. Our whole group, ranging from young to old made our way out into the hot, steamy night, to see some pretty theatrical arm wrestling. It was crowded and sticky in the tent but we laughed our way through it.
attending CLAW
Returning back to the condo, one arm wrestling challenge led to another and before we knew it we had Lois demonstrating her supreme arm wrestling coaching skills while we enjoyed some blueberry pie.
Dylan & Lois wrestle it out (Lois won)
I hope I’m still having that much fun participating in new experiences when I’m in my eighties.
Upon our return to Austin, Jack was true to his word, following up with me by email, reading my stories and offering me some ego boosting feedback. I sent him pictures of their former house in Garden City, a place where I had spent a lot of time in my teenage years. Swimming in their backyard pool I learned a perfect breast stroke, but never managed the simplest synchronized swimming move.
Before Kay notified me of her father’s unexpected passing, I had been plotting how I could eek out another invite next summer and time my visit to coincide with Jack and Lois’s travel. I am saddened by the reality of how that won’t be possible now.
Last summer, I could have made a hundred excuses to bypass Virginia and to go straight to Asheville to see my dad. I could have rationalized that I could do the trip next summer when we weren’t so worn out. Having already driven close to 6000 miles on the summer road trip, our itinerant lifestyle was beginning to wear on all of us.
Today, I am so thankful I followed my gut and drove the extra miles to visit Kay, Leslie, Candace, Lois and Jack in Charlottesville this past summer. It leaves me with a very special memory I would have otherwise missed out on.
John (Jack) McDonald
1925-2011
Intellectual motivator
Entertainer
Educator
Husband
Father
Grandfather
Freind
Reader Comments (7)
A beautiful man and now I know how Kay turned out so great.
Mr. McDonald sounds like a wonderful gentleman. So sorry to hear of his passing. He obviously lived life to the fullest. Good for him!!!
I wondered why you girls went to Virginia. Glad you did!
Charlottesville is a wonderful place to live, as is Union Lake. My grandpa lived at Union Lake on Locklin. Where did the McDonald's live?
What a really nice post. I'm glad you went, too.
Thank you for sharing this inspiring story. Jack have inspired and touched many people. He will forever be remembered and missed.
Farewell Mr. McDonald. So sorry that he passed away. You seem to had great time with the good old fellow.
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