Joseph E. McDonald M.D. Jr.

Joseph E. McDonald Jr., M.D.

Normandy Beach - Joseph E. McDonald Jr., M.D., 84, of Normandy Beach, New Jersey, formerly of Elizabeth, passed away peacefully at his home on Saturday, May 26, 2018, surrounded by his loving family.

Dr. McDonald met the love of his life, Judy (née Kublinski), who is from Bayonne, at St. Elizabeth's Hospital. They married in 1960 and lived in Elizabeth, where they raised their eight children. Joe and Judy were active parishioners at St. Genevieve's in Elizabeth, were deeply invested in Marriage Encounter in the 1970s and 1980s, and authored a book about marriage for high school students. He retired with Judy to Normandy Beach in 1997 after living in Elizabeth for 40 years.

Dr. McDonald spent much of his career at Trinitas Medical Center (fka St. Elizabeth's), where he was the Chief of Endocrinology. He also practiced at Elizabeth General Hospital and Alexian Brothers Hospital in Elizabeth, and was Director of Health Services at Kean University. He maintained a private practice in internal medicine in Roselle Park for more than 40 years. He was deeply dedicated to all of his patients and to the medical communities in which he worked. A devout Catholic, he volunteered at the Elizabeth Coalition for the Homeless, providing medical care for the less fortunate.

Joseph was born in Newark in 1933, and grew up in Maplewood, New Jersey. He graduated from Seton Hall Prep in 1951, and earned a bachelor's degree from Georgetown University in 1955. He was on the varsity swim teams at Seton Hall and Georgetown, and also spent time as a lifeguard in Point Pleasant Beach. Joseph graduated from New York Medical College in 1960. He did his internship at St. Vincent's Hospital in New York City, and went on to complete his residency and a fellowship in Endocrinology at Jersey City Medical Center. Joseph was a lifelong Georgetown Hoya and an unshakeable Georgetown basketball fan. He chaired Georgetown's Union County alumni interview committee for many years and also served on the Georgetown Alumni Board of Governors. He and his wife, Judy, were recognized at the Georgetown College Commencement Exercises in 1999 when their youngest child, Ann, graduated, representing the seventh of the eight McDonald children to receive their college degree from Georgetown. This ended an unprecedented stretch of 18 consecutive years during which a McDonald child attended Georgetown.

Dr. McDonald was a man of diversified interests and talents. He loved to spend time with family and friends, often holding court with his hilarious stories. He was a voracious reader of history, literature, and theology—and collector of fascinating news articles—never ceasing in his unending quest for knowledge. His passion for laughter, reading, and learning fascinated and inspired all who knew him. He sought to instill those qualities in his children and grandchildren. His extensive and varied reading and studies included great authors who shared his beloved Irish heritage like James Joyce, Samuel Beckett and William Butler Yeats, and countless others such as William Faulkner, the theologian Karl Rahner, Flannery O'Connor and subjects including the American Revolution, the Civil War and World War II. He enjoyed sports, picking up golf later in life, and he followed his teams, and those of his children, with passion and devotion.

He is survived by his wife, Judy, and their eight children and their spouses: Patrick and Martha McDonald of Westfield, Michael and Gina McDonald of Westfield, Kathleen McDonald of New York City, Brian and MeeHyun McDonald of New York City, Mary Ellen McDonald of Cranford, Colleen and Erik Bronander of Westfield, Kevin and Kylie McDonald of New York City, and Dr. Ann McDonald and Advait Deodhar of Westfield. He also leaves behind his beloved grandchildren, fifteen in all: Joseph, Mary Grace, Tommy, Judy, Katie, Kevin, Anna, Allison, Maggie, John, Caroline, Connor, Matthew, Abigail, and Graham. He is also survived by his brothers, Peter and Richard; their wives, Christine and Patricia; and several nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be on Tuesday May 29 from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Reilly Bonner Funeral Home, 891 D Street, Belmar, N.J. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, May 30th, at 10:00 a.m. at Saint Pio of Pietrelcina Roman Catholic Church, 103 Washington Ave., Lavallette, N.J. Committal will follow at Saint Theresa's Cemetery in Summit. In lieu of flowers, donations to a scholarship fund at Seton Hall Prep or a charity of your choosing would be greatly appreciated.