September 1, 1931 ~ May 14, 2024 (age 92)
Frank Weldon “Mac” McDonald, USAF (Ret) passed from this earthly life to be with his Lord and Savior on May 14, 2024.
Frank was born September 1, 1931, near The Grove, Texas. His parents were Harold Manchester McDonald and Frankie Lou Densmore McDonald.
Frank attended elementary school at Fairview/Cantrell school near Morgan Mill, Texas. He later attended schools at Bluff Dale and Morgan Mill. He graduated from Stephenville High School in 1949 and earned his Associate Degree in Trades and Industries in 1951 from Tarleton State College, under the tutelage of Professors “Doc” Blanchard and C.H. Dawson.
Frank entered the United States Air Force July 10, 1951, receiving his basic training at Lackland AFB, Texas. On completion of basic training, he was assigned to Love Field, Dallas, Texas, where he completed 36 weeks of aircraft maintenance training. He was then assigned to Amarillo AFB, where he completed eight weeks of Jet Aircraft training, and was retained as an instructor on B-47 aircraft. Subsequent assignments posted him to Ladd AFB, Fairbanks, Alaska, Elmendorf AFB, Anchorage, Alaska, Galena AFB, Ruby, Alaska, Sheppard AFB, Wichita Falls, Texas, Dhahran RSAFB, Saudi Arabia, Takhli RTAFB, Thailand and finally to Eielson AFB, near Fairbanks, Alaska.
Frank retired from active duty at Sheppard AFB in February, 1977, as a Senior Master Sergeant, which placed him in the top 2% of the enlisted ranks. Immediately thereafter, he enrolled in Wayland Baptist College at the Sheppard AFB satellite facility and earned his Bachelor of Science in Occupational Education. He then attended AeroTechnical Institute in Wichita Falls and was awarded FAA Airframe and Power Plant Mechanic’s License.
In February, 1979, Frank began a 15-year USAF Civil Service career as an Instructor and Instructor Supervisor in Aircraft Maintenance and retired in September, 1993. At his retirement, Frank held the rank of GS-11, culminating 41 years of service to his country, and honoring his Scottish heritage.
In early 1997, Frank moved his family back to the Erath County farm on which he was raised. He attended Morgan Mill Baptist Church and was an inactive Ordained Deacon. Over the years, he taught adult Sunday School classes and sang Bass in the First Baptist Church’s sanctuary choirs in Fairbanks, Alaska, and Wichita Falls, Texas. He remained active, caring for the farm he was raised on, working in his shop and keeping order about the place.
Frank is survived by his grandson, John Clayton Ruhd, several cousins including Jimmy Densmore, Kenneth Densmore, Elaine Evans, and their respective families, as well as several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife of 61 years, Sarita Marie Pennington McDonald, his mother, Frankie Densmore McDonald Sewell, his stepfather, Clayton Clifford Sewell, his father, Harold Manchester McDonald, his stepmother, Dorothy Nell McDonald, and his daughters, Rachel Lynette McDonald and Deborah Kay Cochran.
Funeral services will be held at Morgan Mill Baptist Church at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, May 20, 2024, with Rev. Joe Rogers officiating. Burial, with full military honors, will be at The Glenn Cemetery near Bluff Dale, Texas, under the direction of Lacy Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, 120 Wall Street, 19th Floor, New York, NY 10005, The Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675, or The American Heart Association, P.O. Box 15186, Austin, TX 78761.
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