Joe Kelly Donaldson

He was born in Mt. Mourne, NC, in Iredell County, on July 28, 1939, to Jennie Kelly Donaldson and Earnest Donaldson and the brother of Charles Earnest Donaldson and Frances Bell Donaldson (all deceased). He graduated from Mooresville High School in 1957and NC State University where he obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering in 1961.

After graduation he was hired by Harland Bartholomew and Assoc. in Memphis, TN. His first task was assisting in the design of a section of I-40 just east of the Mississippi River. In early 1962 he started dating Patsy Ann Hall. Approximately six months later, he received an order to report for military duty. After learning from a friend that the US Public Health Service was considered as one of the seven military services, he applied to the USPHS and was granted a commission in the Division of Radiological Health. He was then ordered to report to the Taft Center in Cincinnati and the Oak Ridge Nuclear Center for training. After several months of training, he was assigned to the Maryland Health Dept. in Baltimore, where he tested X-ray machines at medical facilities in the State for proper operation. He also had one short assignment to the Nevada Test Site where he did on-ground testing for possible nuclear contamination.

After this assignment was completed, he returned to Baltimore and continued testing the X-ray machines. He continued his long-distance relationship with Patsy by daily letters and an occasional trip to Memphis where she accepted her engagement ring. They were married a short time later.

After completion of the USPHS assignment, in 1964, he applied to NC State University to earn an MS degree in Civil Engineering. Upon completion of his MS, he was re-employed by Harland Bartholomew in Raleigh, NC where he continued to help with the design of streets and highways. He was later transferred to Greenville, SC for several years, then to Jacksonville, FL, and then back to Raleigh. He was a registered Engineer and Land surveyor in North Carolina.

His son, Kelly Hall Donaldson was born in Raleigh and daughter, Cynthia Jo Donaldson was born in Jacksonville, FL. Kelly married Janice Parker, of Raleigh. Cynthia married Brady Greene and they have four boys, Parker, John, Guille, and Charlie. He is also survived by a step-grandson, Josh Adams; sister-in-law, Reta Strecker and her husband, Dennis; and many beloved nieces and nephews.

After he was transferred back to Raleigh, he accepted an offer of employment with Kimley-Horn and Associates to work in Raleigh, NC. While there he continued to do some street and highway designs and also marketing which required looking for new clients and preparing proposals (and sometimes for interviews) for potential clients in multiple states to confirm their desire to hire the firm. After he retired at the end of 2004, he and Patsy traveled with family and friends to all US states and to foreign countries.

He was a member of the American Society Civil Engineers, the Institute of Transportation Engineers where he served in several positions including being President of the Southern Section, the Optimist Club of Raleigh, and the Raleigh Sports Club.

A memorial service was held on Friday, May 22nd at 2pm, followed by a reception at Hayes Barton United Methodist Church. Burial was private at Raleigh Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Hayes Barton United Methodist Church, 2209 Fairview Rd. Raleigh, NC 27608.

Brown-Wynne, 300 Saint Mary's St., Raleigh, NC, is serving the Donaldson family.