After a long, challenging, and yet very happy life, Reverend Claude Comstock McDonald, Jr. passed away on Friday, July 21, 2017, in the loving care of family and friends. He was 92 years old. He was born in St. Joseph, Missouri on June 2, 1925, to Claude Comstock, Sr. and Dorothy Wing McDonald.
He was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, Margaret Beltz and Bette Armstrong, as well as by his stepdaughter, Jeannie Davis and his daughter-in-law, Barbara McDonald. He is survived by his beloved wife, Marian Lane McDonald of New Braunfels; his son, Jeffrey McDonald and wife Nancy of Palmyra, VA; son Michael McDonald of Waynesville, NC; son Bill L. Guthrie and wife Patricia of Pearland, TX; daughter Janis Guthrie of Fremont, CA; and daughter Jodi McDonald and her husband Billy of New Braunfels. He is also survived by fifteen grandchildren, sixteen great-grandchildren, a cousin, numerous nieces and nephews and countless friends.
Claude graduated from Central High School in St. Joseph in May 1942. The following September, he entered St. Joseph Junior College and completed one year of academics, but was inducted into the Army 81st Airborne Engineers during World War II. He later moved into Army Aviation Cadet training. When the war ended in August 1945, he was just completing his training as a flight engineer on B-29 bombers. He was honorably discharged in December 1945.
In January 1946, he re-enrolled at St. Joseph Junior College and received an associate degree the following May. In September of 1946, he began study at the University of Missouri, Columbia, for a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture. He graduated in the spring of 1949, and spent the next nine years teaching and managing the family farm.
In 1956, the farm was sold and he embarked upon his goal of becoming an ordained Christian minister. He enrolled in seminary at Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma. In the spring, he accepted a weekend ministry in Arnett, Oklahoma while working towards his degree. In December 1958, he was ordained in the University Christian Church in Enid, Oklahoma, and by May of 1959, he and his family moved to Iowa Park, Texas, after accepting the pulpit of the First Christian Church. During his ministry in Iowa Park, he served on the County Red Cross board, was named Town and Country Minister of the Year and was voted Citizen of the Year.
On December 26, 1971, Claude married his soulmate, Marian, and then accepted a call to minister at the First Christian Church of Santa Fe, New Mexico from 1973 until March 1985. Here, he served two years as president of the Ministerial Alliance. This opened the door for him being appointed one of the nine members of the Citizens Advisory Panel, appointed by Governor Bruce King, to oversee the Attorney General's report on the cause of the February 1980 inmate riot at the state prison where thirty-three inmates died. As a result of his participation on this panel, he was chosen to be president of the Citizens for Prison Change organization. Asked by the Attorney General of New Mexico Corrections, he accepted the role of president of a twelve member criminal justice panel to publish a report called “At a Crossroads: New Mexico Criminal Justice System.” This group completed its work in December of 1985. In May of the following year, New Mexico's Governor Toney Anaya honored his work with a Distinguished Public Service award, given in recognition of his volunteer work as a leader in New Mexico Corrections reform from 1980-1985. At that time, he and his wife returned to Katy, Texas to minister to the First Christian Church there. Claude retired in June 1990, and after his wife retired the following year from her counseling position at Mayde Creek High School in Katy, and they moved to their retirement home to Angel Fire, New Mexico. They agree that these were the happiest years of their lives, and they have continued to call Angel Fire “home.”
While enjoying the beauty and peaceful environment of the New Mexico mountains, they also worked to help establish the United Church of Angel Fire. Together, Claude and Marian became leaders in working with the Presbyterian Church, Disciples of Christ and Methodist organizations to obtain funds, to acquire land, to hire a minister and to construct the magnificent church which overlooks Wheeler Peak in the Sangre de Cristo mountain range. In recognition of their work, the new fellowship established the annual McDonald Lecture Series in 1999, which continues to this day.
In November of 1999, Claude and Marian moved back to Texas to be near family. They first lived at Canyon Lake before finally moving into New Braunfels. Both of them joined the Unity of New Braunfels Church and again volunteered many hours of service to the church and community. He served on the Board of Trustees, helped to initiate newcomers into the church, gathered donations for the Food Bank, donated to Family Promise and served as a guest minister and greeter. He and Marian were best known in the church for their Christmas Eve children's presentation where they became “Mimi and Pops” for all the congregants as they read children's Christmas stories and handed out angels to all the children in attendance. As the Sunday School children grew up over the years, so did their collections of angels.
Claude will always be remembered for his remarkable abilities in counseling and in serving others. In spite of the many ups and downs of life, he always remained grateful and upbeat. He lived his life with a servant's heart. In the late 80s, after watching a Houston Astros baseball game, he was run over in the parking lot and dragged beneath a car for several yards. During surgery that night, he died, but doctors were able to revive him. After a lengthy but miraculous recovery, he was left with a limp in his left foot and a great deal of determination to share his story of life after death with others. In every obstacle, he sought an opportunity for healing and he encouraged all he met to find their purpose in life. Ever optimistic in finding the silver lining to any dark cloud, he left these words to all those struggling during times of trouble: “Something good will come from this.” Claude left a legacy of being a great listener, an inspirational speaker, a motivational force and a deeply spiritual soul.
The McDonald family would like to recognize and express enormous gratitude to the incredible staff of Memory Care of New Braunfels, home to Claude and Marian for the past seven months. The compassion, love, support and understanding shown by every person employed there has not gone unnoticed. Additionally, the grace and skill of all the Hope Hospice angels who stepped in to make this transition as easy as possible is so greatly appreciated.
A memorial was held in celebration of Reverend McDonald's life at the New Braunfels Unity Church, 408 Gruene Road, on Saturday, August 5, 2017 at 1:00 p.m.
He was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, Margaret Beltz and Bette Armstrong, as well as by his stepdaughter, Jeannie Davis and his daughter-in-law, Barbara McDonald. He is survived by his beloved wife, Marian Lane McDonald of New Braunfels; his son, Jeffrey McDonald and wife Nancy of Palmyra, VA; son Michael McDonald of Waynesville, NC; son Bill L. Guthrie and wife Patricia of Pearland, TX; daughter Janis Guthrie of Fremont, CA; and daughter Jodi McDonald and her husband Billy of New Braunfels. He is also survived by fifteen grandchildren, sixteen great-grandchildren, a cousin, numerous nieces and nephews and countless friends.
Claude graduated from Central High School in St. Joseph in May 1942. The following September, he entered St. Joseph Junior College and completed one year of academics, but was inducted into the Army 81st Airborne Engineers during World War II. He later moved into Army Aviation Cadet training. When the war ended in August 1945, he was just completing his training as a flight engineer on B-29 bombers. He was honorably discharged in December 1945.
In January 1946, he re-enrolled at St. Joseph Junior College and received an associate degree the following May. In September of 1946, he began study at the University of Missouri, Columbia, for a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture. He graduated in the spring of 1949, and spent the next nine years teaching and managing the family farm.
In 1956, the farm was sold and he embarked upon his goal of becoming an ordained Christian minister. He enrolled in seminary at Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma. In the spring, he accepted a weekend ministry in Arnett, Oklahoma while working towards his degree. In December 1958, he was ordained in the University Christian Church in Enid, Oklahoma, and by May of 1959, he and his family moved to Iowa Park, Texas, after accepting the pulpit of the First Christian Church. During his ministry in Iowa Park, he served on the County Red Cross board, was named Town and Country Minister of the Year and was voted Citizen of the Year.
On December 26, 1971, Claude married his soulmate, Marian, and then accepted a call to minister at the First Christian Church of Santa Fe, New Mexico from 1973 until March 1985. Here, he served two years as president of the Ministerial Alliance. This opened the door for him being appointed one of the nine members of the Citizens Advisory Panel, appointed by Governor Bruce King, to oversee the Attorney General's report on the cause of the February 1980 inmate riot at the state prison where thirty-three inmates died. As a result of his participation on this panel, he was chosen to be president of the Citizens for Prison Change organization. Asked by the Attorney General of New Mexico Corrections, he accepted the role of president of a twelve member criminal justice panel to publish a report called “At a Crossroads: New Mexico Criminal Justice System.” This group completed its work in December of 1985. In May of the following year, New Mexico's Governor Toney Anaya honored his work with a Distinguished Public Service award, given in recognition of his volunteer work as a leader in New Mexico Corrections reform from 1980-1985. At that time, he and his wife returned to Katy, Texas to minister to the First Christian Church there. Claude retired in June 1990, and after his wife retired the following year from her counseling position at Mayde Creek High School in Katy, and they moved to their retirement home to Angel Fire, New Mexico. They agree that these were the happiest years of their lives, and they have continued to call Angel Fire “home.”
While enjoying the beauty and peaceful environment of the New Mexico mountains, they also worked to help establish the United Church of Angel Fire. Together, Claude and Marian became leaders in working with the Presbyterian Church, Disciples of Christ and Methodist organizations to obtain funds, to acquire land, to hire a minister and to construct the magnificent church which overlooks Wheeler Peak in the Sangre de Cristo mountain range. In recognition of their work, the new fellowship established the annual McDonald Lecture Series in 1999, which continues to this day.
In November of 1999, Claude and Marian moved back to Texas to be near family. They first lived at Canyon Lake before finally moving into New Braunfels. Both of them joined the Unity of New Braunfels Church and again volunteered many hours of service to the church and community. He served on the Board of Trustees, helped to initiate newcomers into the church, gathered donations for the Food Bank, donated to Family Promise and served as a guest minister and greeter. He and Marian were best known in the church for their Christmas Eve children's presentation where they became “Mimi and Pops” for all the congregants as they read children's Christmas stories and handed out angels to all the children in attendance. As the Sunday School children grew up over the years, so did their collections of angels.
Claude will always be remembered for his remarkable abilities in counseling and in serving others. In spite of the many ups and downs of life, he always remained grateful and upbeat. He lived his life with a servant's heart. In the late 80s, after watching a Houston Astros baseball game, he was run over in the parking lot and dragged beneath a car for several yards. During surgery that night, he died, but doctors were able to revive him. After a lengthy but miraculous recovery, he was left with a limp in his left foot and a great deal of determination to share his story of life after death with others. In every obstacle, he sought an opportunity for healing and he encouraged all he met to find their purpose in life. Ever optimistic in finding the silver lining to any dark cloud, he left these words to all those struggling during times of trouble: “Something good will come from this.” Claude left a legacy of being a great listener, an inspirational speaker, a motivational force and a deeply spiritual soul.
The McDonald family would like to recognize and express enormous gratitude to the incredible staff of Memory Care of New Braunfels, home to Claude and Marian for the past seven months. The compassion, love, support and understanding shown by every person employed there has not gone unnoticed. Additionally, the grace and skill of all the Hope Hospice angels who stepped in to make this transition as easy as possible is so greatly appreciated.
A memorial was held in celebration of Reverend McDonald's life at the New Braunfels Unity Church, 408 Gruene Road, on Saturday, August 5, 2017 at 1:00 p.m.
After a long, challenging, and yet very happy life, Reverend Claude Comstock McDonald, Jr. passed away on Friday, July 21, 2017, in the loving care of family and friends. He was 92 years old. He was born in St. Joseph, Missouri on June 2, 1925, to Claude Comstock, Sr. and Dorothy Wing McDonald.
He was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, Margaret Beltz and Bette Armstrong, as well as by his stepdaughter, Jeannie Davis and his daughter-in-law, Barbara McDonald. He is survived by his beloved wife, Marian Lane McDonald of New Braunfels; his son, Jeffrey McDonald and wife Nancy of Palmyra, VA; son Michael McDonald of Waynesville, NC; son Bill L. Guthrie and wife Patricia of Pearland, TX; daughter Janis Guthrie of Fremont, CA; and daughter Jodi McDonald and her husband Billy of New Braunfels. He is also survived by fifteen grandchildren, sixteen great-grandchildren, a cousin, numerous nieces and nephews and countless friends.
Claude graduated from Central High School in St. Joseph in May 1942. The following September, he entered St. Joseph Junior College and completed one year of academics, but was inducted into the Army 81st Airborne Engineers during World War II. He later moved into Army Aviation Cadet training. When the war ended in August 1945, he was just completing his training as a flight engineer on B-29 bombers. He was honorably discharged in December 1945.
In January 1946, he re-enrolled at St. Joseph Junior College and received an associate degree the following May. In September of 1946, he began study at the University of Missouri, Columbia, for a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture. He graduated in the spring of 1949, and spent the next nine years teaching and managing the family farm.
In 1956, the farm was sold and he embarked upon his goal of becoming an ordained Christian minister. He enrolled in seminary at Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma. In the spring, he accepted a weekend ministry in Arnett, Oklahoma while working towards his degree. In December 1958, he was ordained in the University Christian Church in Enid, Oklahoma, and by May of 1959, he and his family moved to Iowa Park, Texas, after accepting the pulpit of the First Christian Church. During his ministry in Iowa Park, he served on the County Red Cross board, was named Town and Country Minister of the Year and was voted Citizen of the Year.
On December 26, 1971, Claude married his soulmate, Marian, and then accepted a call to minister at the First Christian Church of Santa Fe, New Mexico from 1973 until March 1985. Here, he served two years as president of the Ministerial Alliance. This opened the door for him being appointed one of the nine members of the Citizens Advisory Panel, appointed by Governor Bruce King, to oversee the Attorney General's report on the cause of the February 1980 inmate riot at the state prison where thirty-three inmates died. As a result of his participation on this panel, he was chosen to be president of the Citizens for Prison Change organization. Asked by the Attorney General of New Mexico Corrections, he accepted the role of president of a twelve member criminal justice panel to publish a report called “At a Crossroads: New Mexico Criminal Justice System.” This group completed its work in December of 1985. In May of the following year, New Mexico's Governor Toney Anaya honored his work with a Distinguished Public Service award, given in recognition of his volunteer work as a leader in New Mexico Corrections reform from 1980-1985. At that time, he and his wife returned to Katy, Texas to minister to the First Christian Church there. Claude retired in June 1990, and after his wife retired the following year from her counseling position at Mayde Creek High School in Katy, and they moved to their retirement home to Angel Fire, New Mexico. They agree that these were the happiest years of their lives, and they have continued to call Angel Fire “home.”
While enjoying the beauty and peaceful environment of the New Mexico mountains, they also worked to help establish the United Church of Angel Fire. Together, Claude and Marian became leaders in working with the Presbyterian Church, Disciples of Christ and Methodist organizations to obtain funds, to acquire land, to hire a minister and to construct the magnificent church which overlooks Wheeler Peak in the Sangre de Cristo mountain range. In recognition of their work, the new fellowship established the annual McDonald Lecture Series in 1999, which continues to this day.
In November of 1999, Claude and Marian moved back to Texas to be near family. They first lived at Canyon Lake before finally moving into New Braunfels. Both of them joined the Unity of New Braunfels Church and again volunteered many hours of service to the church and community. He served on the Board of Trustees, helped to initiate newcomers into the church, gathered donations for the Food Bank, donated to Family Promise and served as a guest minister and greeter. He and Marian were best known in the church for their Christmas Eve children's presentation where they became “Mimi and Pops” for all the congregants as they read children's Christmas stories and handed out angels to all the children in attendance. As the Sunday School children grew up over the years, so did their collections of angels.
Claude will always be remembered for his remarkable abilities in counseling and in serving others. In spite of the many ups and downs of life, he always remained grateful and upbeat. He lived his life with a servant's heart. In the late 80s, after watching a Houston Astros baseball game, he was run over in the parking lot and dragged beneath a car for several yards. During surgery that night, he died, but doctors were able to revive him. After a lengthy but miraculous recovery, he was left with a limp in his left foot and a great deal of determination to share his story of life after death with others. In every obstacle, he sought an opportunity for healing and he encouraged all he met to find their purpose in life. Ever optimistic in finding the silver lining to any dark cloud, he left these words to all those struggling during times of trouble: “Something good will come from this.” Claude left a legacy of being a great listener, an inspirational speaker, a motivational force and a deeply spiritual soul.
The McDonald family would like to recognize and express enormous gratitude to the incredible staff of Memory Care of New Braunfels, home to Claude and Marian for the past seven months. The compassion, love, support and understanding shown by every person employed there has not gone unnoticed. Additionally, the grace and skill of all the Hope Hospice angels who stepped in to make this transition as easy as possible is so greatly appreciated.
A memorial was held in celebration of Reverend McDonald's life at the New Braunfels Unity Church, 408 Gruene Road, on Saturday, August 5, 2017 at 1:00 p.m.
He was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, Margaret Beltz and Bette Armstrong, as well as by his stepdaughter, Jeannie Davis and his daughter-in-law, Barbara McDonald. He is survived by his beloved wife, Marian Lane McDonald of New Braunfels; his son, Jeffrey McDonald and wife Nancy of Palmyra, VA; son Michael McDonald of Waynesville, NC; son Bill L. Guthrie and wife Patricia of Pearland, TX; daughter Janis Guthrie of Fremont, CA; and daughter Jodi McDonald and her husband Billy of New Braunfels. He is also survived by fifteen grandchildren, sixteen great-grandchildren, a cousin, numerous nieces and nephews and countless friends.
Claude graduated from Central High School in St. Joseph in May 1942. The following September, he entered St. Joseph Junior College and completed one year of academics, but was inducted into the Army 81st Airborne Engineers during World War II. He later moved into Army Aviation Cadet training. When the war ended in August 1945, he was just completing his training as a flight engineer on B-29 bombers. He was honorably discharged in December 1945.
In January 1946, he re-enrolled at St. Joseph Junior College and received an associate degree the following May. In September of 1946, he began study at the University of Missouri, Columbia, for a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture. He graduated in the spring of 1949, and spent the next nine years teaching and managing the family farm.
In 1956, the farm was sold and he embarked upon his goal of becoming an ordained Christian minister. He enrolled in seminary at Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma. In the spring, he accepted a weekend ministry in Arnett, Oklahoma while working towards his degree. In December 1958, he was ordained in the University Christian Church in Enid, Oklahoma, and by May of 1959, he and his family moved to Iowa Park, Texas, after accepting the pulpit of the First Christian Church. During his ministry in Iowa Park, he served on the County Red Cross board, was named Town and Country Minister of the Year and was voted Citizen of the Year.
On December 26, 1971, Claude married his soulmate, Marian, and then accepted a call to minister at the First Christian Church of Santa Fe, New Mexico from 1973 until March 1985. Here, he served two years as president of the Ministerial Alliance. This opened the door for him being appointed one of the nine members of the Citizens Advisory Panel, appointed by Governor Bruce King, to oversee the Attorney General's report on the cause of the February 1980 inmate riot at the state prison where thirty-three inmates died. As a result of his participation on this panel, he was chosen to be president of the Citizens for Prison Change organization. Asked by the Attorney General of New Mexico Corrections, he accepted the role of president of a twelve member criminal justice panel to publish a report called “At a Crossroads: New Mexico Criminal Justice System.” This group completed its work in December of 1985. In May of the following year, New Mexico's Governor Toney Anaya honored his work with a Distinguished Public Service award, given in recognition of his volunteer work as a leader in New Mexico Corrections reform from 1980-1985. At that time, he and his wife returned to Katy, Texas to minister to the First Christian Church there. Claude retired in June 1990, and after his wife retired the following year from her counseling position at Mayde Creek High School in Katy, and they moved to their retirement home to Angel Fire, New Mexico. They agree that these were the happiest years of their lives, and they have continued to call Angel Fire “home.”
While enjoying the beauty and peaceful environment of the New Mexico mountains, they also worked to help establish the United Church of Angel Fire. Together, Claude and Marian became leaders in working with the Presbyterian Church, Disciples of Christ and Methodist organizations to obtain funds, to acquire land, to hire a minister and to construct the magnificent church which overlooks Wheeler Peak in the Sangre de Cristo mountain range. In recognition of their work, the new fellowship established the annual McDonald Lecture Series in 1999, which continues to this day.
In November of 1999, Claude and Marian moved back to Texas to be near family. They first lived at Canyon Lake before finally moving into New Braunfels. Both of them joined the Unity of New Braunfels Church and again volunteered many hours of service to the church and community. He served on the Board of Trustees, helped to initiate newcomers into the church, gathered donations for the Food Bank, donated to Family Promise and served as a guest minister and greeter. He and Marian were best known in the church for their Christmas Eve children's presentation where they became “Mimi and Pops” for all the congregants as they read children's Christmas stories and handed out angels to all the children in attendance. As the Sunday School children grew up over the years, so did their collections of angels.
Claude will always be remembered for his remarkable abilities in counseling and in serving others. In spite of the many ups and downs of life, he always remained grateful and upbeat. He lived his life with a servant's heart. In the late 80s, after watching a Houston Astros baseball game, he was run over in the parking lot and dragged beneath a car for several yards. During surgery that night, he died, but doctors were able to revive him. After a lengthy but miraculous recovery, he was left with a limp in his left foot and a great deal of determination to share his story of life after death with others. In every obstacle, he sought an opportunity for healing and he encouraged all he met to find their purpose in life. Ever optimistic in finding the silver lining to any dark cloud, he left these words to all those struggling during times of trouble: “Something good will come from this.” Claude left a legacy of being a great listener, an inspirational speaker, a motivational force and a deeply spiritual soul.
The McDonald family would like to recognize and express enormous gratitude to the incredible staff of Memory Care of New Braunfels, home to Claude and Marian for the past seven months. The compassion, love, support and understanding shown by every person employed there has not gone unnoticed. Additionally, the grace and skill of all the Hope Hospice angels who stepped in to make this transition as easy as possible is so greatly appreciated.
A memorial was held in celebration of Reverend McDonald's life at the New Braunfels Unity Church, 408 Gruene Road, on Saturday, August 5, 2017 at 1:00 p.m.
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