Joe Dean McDonald born January 4, 1941 at the family farm in rural Fordland, Missouri, the tenth child born to William Alva and Anna Levina (Burks) McDonald. He departed this life on August 16, 2014 in Springfield, Missouri at the age of 73 years, 7 months, and 12 days. His early years were spent in and around the Fordland community, where he graduated from high school in 1959. In his younger years he enjoyed hunting, fishing and camping. He had a great love of the outdoors and always looked forward to feeding and observing various animals and birds.
His first marriage was blessed by the birth of two daughters, Valencia Jane in 1965 and Stephanie Joann in 1969. In 1979 he met and married Elaine and added her two children, Terri Lynne Stuart and Brian Lemore Stuart, to his family.
Joe worked at several Springfield area businesses, including 30 years at the Loren Cook Co. His last five working years, Joe had his own lawncare business, The Grassmaster. He often reminisced that pulling away from the curb, looking at a beautiful lawn in his rear-view mirrors, was the best job satisfaction he experienced in his entire working life.
Joe accepted Christ and was baptized at the former South National Church of Christ. He has been a part of the South National/East Sunshine church family for many years and considered the fact that Jesus died for him, so that he could have eternal life, to be a gift that he could never deserve or repay. Those who were blessed to hear his prayers could never doubt that he was forever grateful for that gift.
Joe and Elaine celebrated almost 35 years of marriage. (And people said it wouldn’t last!) Before Joe’s health declined, they enjoyed several years of traveling this country following their retirement. They visited many different places and enjoyed exploring them together.
Joe was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers Henry, Glenn, Gene and Lee Roy, and sisters Edna Appleby, Pearl Stinnett, Ida Fraizer and Dorothy Lee.
He leaves to mourn his passing his wife, Elaine, of Springfield; daughters Valencia (Dave) White of Corpus Christi, Texas; Stephanie Roper, of Joplin; and Terri (Brian) Schmitt, of Boynton Beach, Florida; and son, Brian (Candice) Stuart, of Abilene, Texas; grandchildren Landon (Ashley) Dees, Wichita, Kansas; Levi Dees, Joplin; Lucas Dees, New Orleans, Louisiana; Shelby, Courtney, Hannah, and D.J. White, Purdy; Othellis (Tre) Roper III, Joplin; Connor, Jacob and Taylor Schmitt, Boynton Beach, Florida; Ryleigh and Garrett Stuart, Abilene Texas; and great-grandsons Kooper and Braylon Dees, Wichita, Kansas. Also surviving is a sister Ruth (Darrell) Bookout, Springfield; a very special nephew, Keith (Suzanne) McDonald, Fremont, California; as well as a number of other nieces and nephews, and many friends.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Fair Haven Children’s Home, 3132 Fair Haven Loop, Strafford, MO 65757.
Memorial services will be at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, August 26, 2014 at East Sunshine Church of Christ with Deron Smith officiating. A celebration lunch will be served immediately following the service and all are encouraged to come. Arrangements are under the direction Greenlawn Funeral Home-East Springfield, MO.