George C. McDonald

GEORGE CRIST McDONALD, 96, of Fort Wayne and Crooked Lake, Angola, died on Tuesday, April 24, 2012, with his family by his side. "If you are lucky, at least once, maybe twice in your lifetime someone special will come along and prove to you that old age and hard work almost always trumps youth and inexperience. They will also teach you the value of the human spirit. George was just such a man." Born Nov. 30, 1915, in Warsaw, he was the son of Albert Roy and Edith Lelia (Ferguson) Crist. He was later adopted by William and Mary McDonald of Laud, Ind. He was raised on their farm as their son; and taught the personal rewards of hard work. In 1939, he married Dorothea Racine in 1939, and continued to live the life of an Indiana farmer until he was 37. In 1952, he started Shomac Insulation Company, located in Fort Wayne. He was a 63 year member of the Mizpah Shrine Chanters. His beautiful baritone voice was one of his many assets. He enjoyed entertaining and singing the Star Spangled Banner at the annual Shrine Circus in Fort Wayne. "He was a charismatic and kind person. People loved to sit with him and just listen, occasionally getting in a question or two. If he wasn't playing Euchre, he was planning to. If he wasn't singing with the Chanters, he was playing Euchre or planning to. He always had a smile and a contagiously positive attitude about life. He willingly rubbed off on everyone who met him. We're all going to miss him, but in the end, he still did leave us all with a treasure - our memories. Thanks for the memories George. Tell Dorothea we miss her too. We'll see you on the other side." He was member of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church; Waynedale Masonic Lodge 739; Fort Wayne Valley Scotish Rite; Mizpah Shrine; and Kiwanis. He was survived by his five children, Larry, Stephen (Lu), Janet (David) Eggiman, Joann and John; six grandchildren, Doug (Amy) Raskosky, Lisa (Daniel) Byanski, Eric Eggiman, Elizabeth Eggiman, Kristy McDonald, and Ryan (Tracy) Burke; and six great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife of 70 years, Dorothea, in November of 2010; and daughter-in-law, Juliet McDonald. Funeral service is 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Trinity English Lutheran Church, 405 W. Wayne St., with calling one hour prior. Calling also from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at Klaehn, Fahl & Melton Funeral Home, Wayne Street Chapel, 420 W. Wayne St., with a Masonic service at 7 p.m. Burial in Covington Memorial Gardens. Preferred memorials to Shriner's Hospitals for Children or Visiting Nurse & Hospice Home. www.klaehnfahlmelton.com