Obituary of James H. "Big Mac" McDonald

James H. Big Mac McDonald, of Peabody and Dunedin, FL, 76 years, son of the late Harold and Eulah (Cornell) McDonald died unexpectedly Monday at the Meese Hospital in Dunedin, FL. Mr. McDonald was born March 26, 1926 in Peabody. He was raised in Peabody and graduated from Peabody High School class of 1944. During his senior year he played on the Tanners Football team which was undefeated and went on the play in the State Championship. He was also a Massachusetts All Scholastic Football member. He was a resident of Peabody for most of his life but had also lived in Salem and Beverly for a few years. During his high school years and subsequently he was employed for many years at several north shore leather companies. From 1963 to 1968 he owned and operated the former Caribou Club in Peabody. He then was employed for 20 years as a meter reader for the City of Peabody Water Dept. until his retirement in 1989. In 1952 he coached the Tanners Football team at Peabody High School. He also played semi-pro softball in Peabody. He was a member of the Peabody Lodge of Elks #1409 and the Dunedin Yatch Club in FL. He enjoyed boating and traveling and was an active sportsman. He is survived by two sons and a daughter-in-law, Marblehead Police Office James T. McDonald and his wife Janice McDonald and Marc A. McDonald all of Salem; a daughter and her husband, Patricia E. and Joseph Crowley of Peabody; two sisters, Dorothy Casey of St. Petersburg, FL and Grace Dube of Salem; a half brother, Scott McDonald of Lynn; four grandchildren, Tara Segee and Jason McDonald both of Marblehead, Tina Burford of Brownville, ME and Jennifer Robertson of Old Orchard Beach, ME and several nieces and nephews. He was also the brother of the late Harold Ducky McDonald and Jeanette Tootsie Gentile. His funeral will be held Thursday at 10 a.m. from the Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home at the 20 Church St., Peabody location 978-531-0472 followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m. in St. John the Baptist Church Peabody. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited. Visiting hours Wednesday 4 to 8 p.m. Burial in Cedar Grove Cemetery, Peabody. Memorial contributions may be made to the Beverly Hospital Dev. Office for Dialysis, 85 Herrick St., Beverly, MA 01915. For directions and guestbook visit www.ccbfuneral.com.