MC DONALD, Rex L. - b. April 5, 1921 - d. August 26, 2012

[patyrn]

Rex L. McDonald died August 26, 2012 at the age of 91.  He was born April 5, 1921 on a farm near Moline, Kansas.  Rex was the seventh child born to Jesse and Bessie (Long) McDonald.

When Rex was eleven months old, his father died, leaving his mother to raise all seven children.  Soon afterward, the family moved to the small town of Moline, Kansas where his mother took in washing and his two older brothers had paper routes in order to support the family.  When Rex was 13 years old, he began working in a local cafe as a dishwasher; the same cafe where his brother, Jesse, was the fry cook.  In the summertime, he worked in the wheat fields during the day and at the cafe in the evening.

After graduating from Moline High School in 1939, Rex joined the U.S. Navy.  He continued to support his mother by sending his monthly salary of $36 a month to her until she remarried three years later.

When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Rex was aboard the USS Chicago, a ship which had just left Pearl Harbor two days earlier escorting an aircraft carrier bound for Midway.  Upon receiving word of the attack, the ship was ordered to search for and destroy the enemy.  They never made contact with the enemy.  Then on December 23rd, the USS Chicago returned to Pearl Harbor.  It was a horrible sight with most of the battle force destroyed.  The USS Chicago took on fuel and provisions, and on December 24th headed out for the Southwest Pacific and joined an Australian Task Force.  The USS Chicago trained with the Australian force and later was joined by an American carrier task force during the Battle of Coral Sea, which began April 15, 1942 during which the USS Lexington was sunk.  On August 7, 1942 during the Battle of Guadal Canal, three American cruisers and one Australian cruiser were sunk.  The USS Chicago was damaged and went to Sydney, Australia to be repaired.  It then rejoined the task force.  The USS Chicago was later sunk while being towed into safe port.  Rex swam 75 yards to a life raft and rejoined his brother, Bob who was also serving on the USS Chicago.  The life raft was picked up by the destroyer, USS Sands, where they were taken to Auckland, New Zealand.  They were then placed on the luxury ship, The Matsonea, where they traveled to San Francisco.

Rex was then placed on a new destroyer ship, the USS Mullany, where a new task force was formed to join with and help any new battle forces in the Pacific Island area, including the Battle of Iwo Jima.  After this battle, Rex was transferred back to the United States.  He was assigned to the USS Princeton, which was being constructed in the Philadelphia Navy Yard.  He was joined in Philadelphia by his wife, Dorothy Jo Tunison, whom he married on May 22, 1945.  He continued on in his Navy career.

Rex retired from the Navy after serving for 20 years.  He then went to work for the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado as a civilian mechanical superintendent.  After Rex retired from the Air Force Academy in 1973, he and his wife, Dorothy, moved to Canon City, Colorado where he built a home for them to live in.  Rex and Dorothy immediately became members of the First Christian Church where they faithfully served in many different areas.

Rex is survived by his wife of 67 years, Dorothy Jo, and many nieces and nephews.  Funeral services were held Thursday, August 30, 2012 at the First Christian Church in Canon City, Colorado.   Interment followed at Lakeside Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to First Christian Church, 320 N. 16th Street, Canon City, CO 81212; Sangre de Cristo Hospice-West, 601 Greenwood Avenue, Canon City, CO 81212; or Village Christian Church of Colorado Springs, 3113 Primrose Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80907.

Arrangements were handled through Wilson Funeral Home, Canon City, Colorado.

(published in the Prairie Star - 09/05/2012)