Daniel James McDonald Jr.

Daniel James McDonald, Jr., 69, of Raleigh, N.C., died July 8, 2010, after a lengthy illness. Jim was born in Henderson, N.C., Dec. 9, 1940, and raised in Warrenton, N.C., a son of the late Daniel James McDonald and the late Bettie King McDonald. Jim is survived by his wife, Marcia Dawn Miller McDonald.

In 1963, he was graduated from the United States Air Force Academy. He proudly served our country in Vietnam, where he flew the C-7A Caribou airplane. After his service in the Air Force, he joined American Airlines, where he flew for 30 years before retiring in 2000 as a captain. Jim loved flying, but his greatest joys were his lasting friendships, a large, loving family, and the pleasure of a well-enjoyed meal. His family will remember him as a life-long patriot and will remember with particular affection his fondness for trivia, foreign languages, and Carolina basketball.

In addition to his wife, Jim is survived by two children: son Spencer McDonald, and his wife Caroline and daughter Jordan of Lynchburg, Va.; and daughter Ashley McDonald, of Phoenix, AZ. He was predeceased by his brother Bill McDonald of Lynchburg. His family also includes his sister, Jean Apple, and her husband Bob of High Point, N.C.; his sister-in-law, Rosemary McDonald, of Lynchburg; his brother, Tom McDonald, of New Britain, CT; his sister, Beverly Stables, and her husband Lou of Charlotte, N.C.; and his sister, Suzi McDonald, of Thomasville, N.C. His family also includes many nieces and nephews and their children, including Danielle Apple Stringer and her husband Garrett and their son Griffin, Courtney Apple Bown and her husband Jim and their daughter Sara, Amber Apple Caviness and her husband Chad and their son Caleb, Shawn McDonald and his wife Samantha and their daughter Elise, Colin McDonald, Davis and Emma McDonald, Katie Stables Cuthbertson and her husband Bart and their sons Stephen, Brian and Shane, Julie Stables Boudrie and her daughters Hailey and Emma, Drew Stables and his wife Kristen and their children Aaron, Allie and Jenna, and David Bumgarner. His family also includes a brother-in-law, Mercer Miller, of Prospect Heights, IL, his wife Tina, and their sons Nathan and Evan.

The family will receive friends on Sunday, July 11 at 1 p.m. at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home at 1701 East Millbrook Road, Raleigh. A memorial service will be conducted at 2:30 p.m. the same day at Brown-Wynne. A private interment will take place at a later date in Lynchburg, Va.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, 8300 Health Park, Suite 10, Raleigh, NC 27615.

Condolences may be sent to www.brownwynne.com