Kenneth Chester Mcdonald

Kenneth Chester McDonald, age 93, of Topeka, passed away Tuesday evening, May 21, 2013 at a Topeka care home. Kenneth was born February 13, 1920 at the family home located on a farm southeast of Howard, Kansas in Elk County to Theodore and Mattie (Burtch) McDonald. He was the youngest son of the family of 5 children. When he was 5 years old he began his education at High Hill Elementary School District #147, located in the neighborhood of the McDonald farm. He graduated from Howard High School in 1941. After high school Kenneth was employed as a farm had from 1941 to 1949. While working on the farm he met and got acquainted with Joyce Nadine Griffith who lived in Topeka. He left the farm and moved to Topeka in 1949 where he and Joyce were married at the First Baptist Church on September 24, 1949. To this union two sons were born, Dennis Lee and Terry Lynn. Joyce was a homemaker and did all the canning of the produce from the garden. She died quite suddenly in December of 1982. Kenneth became the homemaker and Terry the housekeeper. Kenneth was employed with Division I State Highway Commission and went to work with a small crew of men doing repair work on state highway bridges in northeast Kansas. After an injury Kenneth received at work he was furnished with a job as a mechanic in the highway repair shop repairing and overhauling trucks. He was then offered employment with the State Dept. of Administration as foreman of the State Central Motor Pool in May 1973 at 10th and Tyler where maintenance and repair work was done on vehicles. Kenneth retirement to his home in January 1985 after 33 years of employment with the state of Kansas. Kenneth was very much involved in the scouting program over the years. He was registered with the Jayhawk Area Council Boy Scouts of America from 1959 to 2003. Some of Kenneth’s accolades include being a trained Wood Badge leader, cub master, scout master, institutional representative and unit commissioner for the Boy Scouts of America. Kenneth was a 50 year member at the North Topeka Baptist Church where he spent many hours in maintenance and repair of equipment and serving on the Deacon Board, Trustee Board and service committees. He was a 7th degree Granger at the Indian Creek Grange #1471 of Topeka, Kansas for many years. He was the overseer. When the master died 1984 he filled the master chair from then until his resignation in 2006. Kenneth was preceded in death by his wife Joyce; a son, Dennis; three brothers and one sister. He is survived by his son, Terry of Topeka; 2 grandsons and 4 great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be Monday, June 3, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. at the Davidson Funeral Home. He will lie in state Sunday from 1:00 – 8:00 p.m. with visitation from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. at the Davidson Funeral Home. Interment will be at 2:00 p.m. at the Gracelawn Cemetery in Howard, Kansas. Memorial contributions may be made to the North Topeka Baptist Church and sent in care of the Davidson Funeral Home. Online condolences may be made at davidsonfuneral.com.