John William McDonald

John William McDonald
Resident of Los Gatos
Longtime Los Gatos resident John William McDonald died peacefully on Wednesday, January 1, 2020, concluding a brave nine-year journey with Alzheimer's disease. He is survived by his loving wife, Ginger, along with their combined family of six children (Bruce McDonald, Victoria Chesher (Jim), Laurie McDonald, Jillian McDonald, Jennifer Roney (Ed), Jeff Taylor (Jennifer)), fourteen grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.
John was born in 1925 in Hollister, California, the son of a blacksmith, where he enjoyed a young boy's life not unlike the adventures of Huckleberry Finn. After high school, John enlisted in the US Marines Corps, where he completed his college education and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant following Officers' Training. He served as a Shore Party Commander in China until the end of WWII. During the Korean War, John's fourth child was born just days before his platoon shipped out to the Pacific. Having completed law school at Hastings College of the Law between the wars, John completed his tour of duty as an attorney at Camp Pendleton. After his service, John enjoyed a 50-year successful law career, starting his practice in Oroville, followed by 40 years as a Partner in the Boccardo Law Firm in San Jose.
John's rich life was filled with family, friendships and world travel. He skied mountain tops, swam the oceans, climbed over the arch of the Sydney Harbor Bridge, hunted, fished, and slept on the ground in the great outdoors. He loved good music, dancing and a good game of tennis. We can provide only a glimpse in the rich life of John W. McDonald, a kind, generous, sensitive man, with a great sense of humor who loved to entertain. He will be greatly missed by his loving family and by the community filled with the countless friends he made over the years.
Family and friends are invited to join us at a Celebration of John's Life, on Saturday, February 15th, at 2:00 p.m., at the Los Gatos Lodge, 50 Los Gatos-Saratoga Rd., in Los Gatos. In lieu of flowers, donations are encouraged to the GoFundMe site for "Doug McNeil Fight Against ALS", inspired by John's friend who continues to bring hope to those less fortunate despite his fight with ALS.


View the online memorial for John William McDonald