More detail on this person: MacDONALD,
Gerard H. "Gerry", 71, of Tampa, FL, died
Thursday, August 23, 2012, in Huntersville, North
Carolina, while visiting family. He had battled
for several years with serious medical conditions
caused by Agent Orange exposure during the Viet
Nam war. Services will be private, with interment
taking place at Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah,
Georgia. He was born on August 2, 1941, in Lowell,
Massachusetts, to the late Dorothy S. and Francis
B. MacDonald, of Billerica, Massachusetts. He
graduated from Billerica Memorial High School in
1959 and from Lowell Technological Institute in
1963 with a B.S. Degree in Industrial Management.
Commissioned in the United States Air Force at
graduation, he served proudly on active duty and
in the Air Force Reserve for over 20 years as a
pilot, flight instructor, flight examiner and
operations officer, flying the C-124, C-141 and
C-123 multi-engine transport aircraft. He spent a
year in combat, flying the HH-3 "Jolly Green
Giant" rescue helicopter in Southeast Asia during
the Viet Nam war. He was medically retired from
Eastern Air Lines, having been based in Miami with
Eastern as a pilot for several years. He was
predeceased by his beloved wife, Delaurace; and is
survived by a brother, Art MacDonald (wife, Val,
and daughter, Meredith) of Warner Robins, Georgia;
son, Jim MacDonald (wife, Cheryl, and sons,
Brandon and Alex) of Huntersville, North Carolina;
daughter, Tracy Hurley (husband, Bill) of North
Attleboro, Massachusetts; ex-wife, Judy
MacDonald of Acton, Massachusetts; and good
friend, Shirley Bruce of Tampa, Florida. The
family can be contacted by phone at 478-361-5954
begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 478-361-5954
end_of_the_skype_highlighting (brother, Art) or
704-947-7360 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting
704-947-7360 end_of_the_skype_highlighting (son,
Jim). They wish to express heartfelt thanks to the
doctors, nurses, and staff at the James A. Haley
VA Hospital in Tampa, and to the caregivers in the
VA Medical Foster Home Program there, especially
Ms. Cindy Harris and her family, who made
possible a happy and productive life for Gerry in
his final days, in spite of many medical
complications. In lieu of flowers, the family
requests that gifts be made to a favorite charity.
Raymer-Kepner Funeral Home in Huntersville, North
Carolina, is assisting the family. Friends may
offer condolences to the family at
www.raymerfh.com
Published in TBO.com on August 29, 2012
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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