William Girard McDonald

William Girard McDonald was born December 17th, 1935 in Tenafly, New Jersey to Joseph McDonald and Odette Scher. He attended Tenafly High School and received his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Engineering at New York University. He also spent two years in the army in Virginia mid college.
He is survived by his three daughters, Kathleen Bachmann, Lara McDonald and Barbara McDonald and their families, and his first wife Sandra McDonald. He has five grandchildren, Patrick Raymond, Nicholas, Madeline and Daniel Bachmann, and Liam Flint. He was predeceased by his second wife Irene Dirsa.
While working on his degree he started working at Lamont Doherty Geological Observatory at Columbia University, where he spent most of his career. He worked in the Air and Space Program building the first seismometers that went to the moon with the astronauts. He later worked in the Oceanographic Program at Columbia, measuring movement on the bottom of the ocean. He made many trips out to sea and enjoyed the many Carribbean and other Islands where he was based during those trips. He loved travel and would send beautiful postcards. He spent the last decade of his career building instruments in the Machine Shop at Yale University.
When he retired he moved to Prescott, Arizona with Irene where he spent 25 years exploring the southwest, traveling extensively, hiking, gardening, working for the Democratic Party and having deep discussions about the world with dear friends. He developed a passion for astronomy and served as President of the Prescott Astronomy Club. He taught astronomy through club programs, school programs, and at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff. He would set up his telescope and television in the front yard and give astronomy lessons. He loved to cook and enjoy beautiful meals and visitors looked forward to his famous Boeuf Borgognon, Bouillbaisse and specially marinated lamb chops from Costco. He was a role model for retirement, developing new interests and hobbies, and was always finding something new to be excited about.
His family is so grateful for all of the adventures in the southwest they were able to experience while visiting him there. He loved our National Parks from the time he was a kid and led us on excursions to many of them. "Chief" as his grandchildren called him, was an inspiration for how to live life fully and give back.
A Celebration of Life will be held this summer.
We would like to thank the wonderful staff at Bristol Hospital who showed him and our family such care and attention in his last five weeks as he shared his famous puns with them. We are forever grateful.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Yavapai Food Pantry or any food pantry of choice or supporting our National Parks.