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Fredrick McDonald, 82, of Sweeny went home to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on September 23, 2011.
Fred was born on January 7, 1929 to Forrest and Myra McDonald in Orange, Texas. He proudly served his country in the military with the United States Navy. He received his Bachelor's and Master's degrees from Sam Houston University in Huntsville. Mr. McDonald or “Mr. Mac” as his students called him, was a master teacher for 35 years enriching the lives of students through his leadership as a band director and English teacher. His life had a tremendous influence on his students wherever he taught including the schools of Texas City, White Oak, Brazosport, Brazoswood, Sam Houston State University, and Sweeny. Although music and English were his fields of expertise, his primary goal was to make each individual student a better person when they left his classroom. He was honored by his peers with his induction into the Texas Bandmasters Hall of Fame in 1994.
His children and grandchildren are forever grateful for the spiritual legacy that "Dad/PawPaw/PawPaws'sPaw" gave to each of them. His love for the Lord Jesus was reflected throughout his lifetime and was a blessing extending beyond his family and into the community. An active member of Columbia Methodist Church, serving with and leading the "Monday Morning Methodists" was his greatest joy. His spiritual journey was enriched by attending a Walk to Emmaus, participating on many Emmaus teams and serving on the Houston Community Emmaus Board.
Left to cherish his memory are his daughters and son-in-laws Laura and Lee Huebel of Seabrook, and Cindy and Steve Mann of West Columbia; son and daughter-in-law Wade and Jane McDonald of Dickinson; sister, Virginia Sanford; brother, Forrest McDonald; grandchildren, Ross and Elizabeth Huebel, Adam and Danielle Huebel, Clint and Kaleena Mann, Jeremy and Jordan Mann, Joshua and Rebekah McDonald, Caleb and Rebekah "Becky" McDonald, and Meagen and Brian Moreno; great grandchildren Annabel and Alyssa McDonald, Jocelynn Mann, and Aspen Moreno; and many nieces and nephews. Fred was preceded in death by his wife of 58 years, Alice Joyce (Pill), brothers John McDonald and William McDonald, and his sister Nora Riggs.
Family and friends are invited to attend a visitation at Baker Funeral Home on Monday, September 26th from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 27th at the Columbia Methodist Church, West Columbia with Reverend Patricia Wehn-Glowski officiating. Pallbearers will be his grandsons and honorary pallbearers will be the Monday Morning Methodists. For those desiring, remembrances in Fred's memory may be made to: Columbia Methodist Church, 315 South 16th Street, WestColumbia.
Online condolences may be made by signing the guest book at www.bakerfuneralhome.net.
http://www.pbmalpha.org/pbmhalloffamebio.php?HOF_Number=091
TEXAS BANDMASTERS HALL OF FAME
----------Sponsored by Alpha Chapter - Phi Beta Mu
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Fred McDonald - Class of 1994
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FRED McDONALD
Fred McDonald was born in Orange, Texas on January 7, 1929. He attended public school in Orange and was a graduate of Orange High School. Upon graduation, he enrolled at Sam Houston State University and in 1950 received a Bachelor of Science degree in Music. From 1950 until 1952, Fred taught band at Texas City Junior and Senior High Schools. He left Texas City for one year, in 1952-53, to be band director at White Oak High School, but returned to Texas City as band director at Levi Fry Junior High School from 1956 to 1959. In 1959, Fred moved to Freeport, Texas to be Director of Bands at Brazosport High School, a position he held until 1969. He moved to Clute, Texas, in 1969 to a new school, Brazoswood High School. He remained there until 1974. In the fall of 1974, Fred was offered and accepted the opportunity to direct the marching band and teach ear training at Sam Houston State University while finishing his Masters degree. Following that year, he returned to the public school ranks at Sweeney High School where he remained until his retirement in 1985. In his last six years of teaching, Fred taught ninth grade English following serious heart surgery.
Fred had a contest record that included 21 first divisions and 2 second divisions in marching; 25 first divisions 2 second divisions, and 1 third division in concert; 27 first divisions and 1 second division in sight-reading; 8 first divisions at the Corpus Christi Buccaneer Festival; 3 first divisions at the Tri-State Festival in Enid, Oklahoma; 2 first divisions at Six Flags Over Texas; and 1 first division at Six Flags Over Georgia. He took the Texas City band to Mexico City in 1951 to participate in the Lions International Parade and won second place. In 1953, Fred took the White Oak High School Band to New York City to participate in the Lions International Parade and won second place with them. In 1958, the Brazosport High School band participated in the Lions International Parade in Chicago and won third place.
Fred was chosen to be the associate conductor to Dr. Frederick Fennell at Expo 70 in Osaka, Japan with the All-American Youth Honor Band. He served three terms as Region band chairman for TMEA, has done sight-reading clinics at both TMEA and TBA, served as clinician for numerous All-Region, All-District, and individual bands, and judged in nine of the regions in Texas.
Fred married Alice Joyce and they have three children; Laura Louise Huebel of Seabrook, Cynthia Ann Mann of West Columbia, and Norman Wade McDonald, band director at Dickinson Junior High in Dickinson. They are also blessed with seven grandchildren.
Fred McDonald treasures the thousands of young musicians he has been associated with, including dozens of successful band directors and many, many useful and productive citizens. As he stated, “in just the past year, two ex-students have won prestigious national awards in band directing. My son, Wade, was awarded the Sudler Cup for excellence as junior high band director at Dickinson, and Bill Watson’s Spring High School Band won the Bands of America Grand National Championship for marching bands in the Indianapolis Hoosier Dome.”
Fred McDonald embodies the good of our profession, producing good citizens, good music consumers, and superior music producers. Texas has been lucky to have a Fred McDonald.
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