Glendale - John A. McDonald, 82, a former longtime resident of Haverhill, died June 3, 2020 at Providence Place at Glencroft.
Born, raised and educated in Haverhill, and son of the late James and Mary (Strangman) McDonald, he was a member of the Haverhill High School Class of 1955 and attended the Leland Powers School of Broadcasting in Boston.
Mr. McDonald worked as a radio announcer for WHAV in Haverhill and later at a radio station in New Britain, CT, under the professional name "Ted James", and later worked as a reporter for the Haverhill Gazette and the Boston Herald and as a public relations representative for Digital Equipment Corporation. Over the course of several years, Mr. McDonald owned and operated Gardella's Market in Haverhill and Kittridge Variety in Bradford. Most recently he was employed in the Deli Department at Market Basket in Plaistow, NH and Riverside in Haverhill.
In his youth, Mr. McDonald was a member of DeMolay and served as Past Master Councilor of the John Greenleaf Whittier Chapter. An avid Red Sox fan and a 30-year friend of Bill, he enjoyed trips to Arizona and especially liked visiting the town of Sedona. When it came to music, he was a fan of Jazz and his favorite vocal artists were Mel Torme and Cleo Lane.
He will be missed and lovingly remembered by his son, Peter McDonald and his wife, Sabrina of Surprise, Ariz.; a brother, Wayne A. McDonald and his wife, LoAnne of Derry, NH, three grandchildren, Matthew, Brady and Brianna McDonald, a niece, Michelle McDonald and a nephew,, James McDonald, Jr., his former wife, Carolyn (McLeod) Mitchell and her husband, Lyle of Surprise, AZ, and several aunts and cousins. He was predeceased by his daughter, Debbie and his brother, James.
Relatives and friends are invited to calling hours to be held on Monday, June 15, 2020 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Brookside Chapel & Funeral Home, 116 Main St., Plaistow, using the guidelines of social distancing established by the State of NH, including the wearing of masks at all times in the funeral home. A funeral service will take place at 12:15 p.m. in the funeral home and followed by burial in Elmwood Cemetery, Bradford. The family requests that memorial donations be made to The American Kidney Fund at www.Kidneyfund.org, or to the Alzheimer's Association, 309 Waverly Oaks Road, Waltham. To send a message of condolence to the family and share a precious memory, please visit the furneral home's website www.brooksidechapelfh.com.