Here is the letter Brother Bryan DeLeo received from Brother Randy Macdonald's son, Scott, on March 15th, 2018...
You may or may not know me personally, but I believe you knew my father Randy.
Yesterday after his weekly pickleball
session, he suffered a heart attack at the APEX center in
Arvada Colorado, and after fighting for several hours at
Lutheran Hospital, passed without pain or suffering.
He was just a few months shy of his
71st birthday, having celebrated his 70th with my sister and
I scuba diving in the kelp forests at Catalina. It was just
a few months ago that I went bungie jumping and zorbing with
him in New Zealand, and he had plans to return to the Sydney
Opera house to perform with his cherished choir in July. He
had the distinct pleasure of seeing the first two years of
his grandaughters life, and was eagerly awaiting the arrival
of his second grandchild.
It is this everlasting vitality and
love for life that I hope you remember him by; a truly
adventurous soul who was quick to laugh and selflessly cared
for those around him. He was taken too soon, but not before
going on one heckuva ride, and hopefully making your life a
little brighter.
As this was so unexpected, our family
is still processing the news and making arrangements, but we
will provide details about the memorial service as soon as
possible.
In the meantime, wish him a happy
trails and remember any good times you had with him.
Best wishes,
The Macdonald Family
|
Mr. Jeffrey William Galginaitis (1970)
I'm so sorry to hear of Brother MacDonald's passing. I knew him only a short time at UR as he left when I was a Freshman. I remember one night in the lounge when he came in all greasy, and stated that he had just switched out an engine in a car. I thought that was pretty cool. Here we're all sitting around doing not much of anything, and Randy is out in the real world doing something practical. He sang in the Yellowjackets, and after I tried out in the spring of 1967, I remember him coming up to me in the FDB building and shaking my hand to congratulate me and to let me know I made the group. Good guy, Randy. He telephoned me to invite me to the first reunion, and I remember what a treat it was to hear his voice. At the reunions, he always asked me what was up like we had just seen each other yesterday. I haven't seen him or corresponded with him since the last reunion (in Lancaster PA), but I feel the world is a little emptier without him. Randy and his wife, children and grandchildren are in my prayers.
Mr. Rich Reiter (1969)
In our sophomore year he decided to put his
mattress on the floor, giving me and my roommate
Bernie Dumka his frame, which we used to convert
our bunk bed into a sofa/bed and super high bunk.
It was crazy, but upbeat Randy inspired it!
Mr. Richard S. Pugach (1969)
His enthusiasm was contagious, Life was better with Randy in our presence.
Mr. Mel Hyman (1969)
There’s really no way to put in words how I feel about losing the person who had more influence over me than anyone else in life. We were roommates for our sophomore and junior years. When Randy came back for his junior year, he had just applied for his CO status to get out of the army and when he heard that it was approved he left school and went to Boston to perform his service at a hospital. I later joined him in Boston and in 1971 went out to Colorado where he had staked out his new life. In short, my fraternity experience was wonderful for a year or two, but my relationship with Randy, which began with Beta Delt, is probably the main reason I’m still here.
Mr. John Adamek (1969)