Raymond McDonald

1932 - 2019

Raymond Edward McDonald was born on Nov. 21, 1932, in Lincoln, Ark., to John McDonald and Geneva McDonald (Cox). He passed on Feb. 20, 2019, at Providence Hospital in Anchorage, Alaska, surrounded by his loving family. He was 86 years old.
The McDonald family came to Alaska to homestead in the Matanuska Valley when Ray was 14 years old. They arrived in early fall 1946, and with winter coming they decided to buy an original colony home instead. They purchased the home on 120 acres on Hyer Road for $4,000 and lived there for the next 40 years.
Ray graduated from Wasilla High School and then from Southern Oregon College in Ashland, Ore. He worked for more than 40 years for the federal government, beginning with the Alaska Railroad, then two years in the Army stationed at Fort Richardson, and the back to his federal career with FAA, Internal Revenue Service, Elmendorf commissary and Bureau of Land Management. Ray and his brothers, Lewis and Elmer, built several duplexes on Government Hill and owned other rental properties in downtown Anchorage and Nunaka Valley. He also opened Guido's Pizza in 1984 with his wife Rose and son Richard, "Guido." Guido's is still family owned and operated today.
Ray met Rose while working at IRS and they were married in 1971, making Ray an instant husband, father of five and grandfather. This was a challenge and blessing for a lifelong bachelor. After retiring from BLM in 1984, Ray spent many years traveling with Rose, working at Guido's and enjoying friends, family and especially his grandchildren.
Ray was always there with a smile and a helping hand whenever any of life's little tragedies struck. He was always there with a set of jumper cables, a gas can or even an extra car he kept on hand just in case! Ray was also known to provide financing for prom dresses and sporting goods when needed. However, his favorite duty was being on call to pick up or deliver grandkids and their friends to and from school or other events. He was "Our Go-To Guy!!"
Ray was a 30-plus year member of AA (Dry Dock Club) and a member of the Computer Club and the Elks.
He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Geneva McDonald; his brother, Roger; brother-in-law, Lee Shafer; and son, Jerome "Bub" Mercier.
He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Rose Caroline (Mercier) McDonald; children, Tamara Phillips, Darlene Anderson, Richard Mercier (Beckie) and Margelaine Wisthoff (Mark); sisters, Juanita Shafer and Sara McDonald; brothers, Lewis McDonald (Marian) and Elmer McDonald (Alta), and Wayne McDonald. He is also survived by many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and nieces and nephews.
Services will be held at Janssen's Evergreen Memorial Chapel, 737 E Street in Anchorage, on Saturday, March 9, 2019, at 2 p.m. He will be buried in the Pioneer Section of the Downtown Cemetery in the spring.