MC DONALD, Kenneth Chester - b. February 13, 1920 - d. May 21, 2013

[patyrn]

Kenneth Chester McDonald, age 93, of Topeka, Kansas, passed away Tuesday evening, May 21, 2013 at a Topeka care home.  He was born February 13, 1920 at the family home located at the family farm southeast of Howard, Kansas in Elk County to Theodore and Mattie (Burtch) McDonald.  He was the youngest son of the family of five children.

When Kenneth was 5 years old, he began his education at High Hill Elementary School District #147 located in the neighborhood of the McDonald farm.  He graduated from Howard High School in 1941.

After high school, Kenneth was employed as a farm hand from 1941 to 1949.  While working on the farm, he got acquainted with Joyce Nadine Griffith who lived in Topeka.  He left the farm and moved to Topeka in 1949 where he and Joyce were married at the First Baptist Church on September 24, 1949.  To this union, two sons, Dennie Lee and Terry Lee, were born.  Joyce was a homemaker and did all the canning of the produce from the garden.  She died quite suddenly in December of 1982.  Kenneth became the homemaker and Terry the housekeeper.  

Kenneth was employed with Division I State Highway Commission and went to work with a small area of men doing repair work on state highway bridges in northeast Kansas.  After an injury he received at work, he was furnished with a job as a mechanic in the highway repair shop repairing and overhauling trucks.  He was then offered employment with the State Department of Administration as a foreman of the State Central Motor Pool in May 1973 at 10th and Tyler where maintenance and repair work was done on vehicles.

Kenneth retired to his home in January 1985 after 33 years of employment with the State of Kansas.  He was very much involved with the scouting program over the years.  He was registered with the Jayhawk Area Council Boy Scouts of America from 1959 to 2003.  Some of his accolades include being a trained Wood Badge leader, Cubmaster, Scoutmaster, institutional representative, and Unit Commissioner for the Boy Scouts of America.

Kenneth was a 50-year member of the North Topeka Baptist Church where he spent many hours in maintenance and repair of equipment and serving on the Deacon Board, Trustees Board, and service committees.  He was a 7th degree Granger at the Indian Creek Grange #1471 of Topeka for many years.  He was the overseer.  When the Master died in 1984, he filled the master chair from then until his resignation in 2006.

Kenneth is survived by his son, Terry, of Topeka, Kansas; two grandsons; and four great-grandchildren.  He was preceded in death by his wife, Joyce; his son, Dennis; his parents; three brothers, Carl, Clayton, and Clad; and one sister, Faye Harrod.

Funeral services will be held Monday, June 3, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. at the Davidson Funeral Home in Topeka.  He will lie in state Sunday, June 2, 2013 from 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with visitation from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.  Interment will be at 2:00 p.m. on June 3, 2013 at Grace Lawn Cemetery in Howard, Kansas.  Memorial contributions may be made to the North Topeka Baptist Church and sent in care of the Davidson Funeral Home, 1035 N. Kansas Avenue, Topeka, Kansas 66608.

(published in the Prairie Star - 5/29/2013)