Dr. Eugene Chester McDanald

DR. EUGENE CHESTER MCDANALD, age 90, died peacefully at the home of his son, Dr. Chester McDanald, in El Paso, Texas on Tuesday, March 8, 2005. Dr. McDanald was born in Gainesville, Texas on October 15, 1914. During his childhood and early adult life, he lived in Beaumont, Texas. He received his B.A. degree in 1935 from Austin College in Sherman, Texas, and his M.D. degree in 1941 from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas. During World War II, he served as a major and psychiatrist in the U.S. Army from 1942 until 1946. While at Austin College, he met Linda Wharton whom he married on January 2, 1946. He shared 59 years of marriage and 72 years of friendship with his wife, Linda. In 1951, they moved to LaMarque, Texas where they made their home and raised their family. They were long time members of the LaMarque Presbyterian Church. They were residents of LaMarque until spring 2003. Dr. McDanald joined the psychiatric staff of the Titus Harris Clinic in Galveston, Texas in 1951, and worked there until his retirement in 1992. He also served as a clinical professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Neurology at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston from 1965 to 1992. He authored numerous publications in the area of mental health for various professional journals and for the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health at the University of Texas in Austin. In his spare time, Dr. McDanald was an avid tennis player. Following his retirement, he and his wife Linda enjoyed a trip to the British Isles as well as various adventures within the United States. His favorite destination was Vermont in the fall. Survivors include his wife, Linda; a son, Chester (Charlotte) McDanald, El Paso; a son, Conway (Chris) McDanald, Dallas; a daughter, Laurie Webb (Herb), McKinney; a daughter, Terry Zajac, Arvada, Colorado; and a sister, Flora Louise Barton, Memphis, Tennessee. He had ten grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at the First Presbyterian Church in Dallas, Texas at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 2. Because Dr. McDanald dedicated his life to the field of mental health rehabilitation and education, memorial contributions may be sent to The Hogg Foundation for Mental Health, P.O. Box 7998, Austin, Tx. 78713-7998, attn: Dolores Zepeda.