Charles E. McDonald

Charles E. McDonald, of the Illinois Veteran Home in Quincy and formerly of Barry, Illinois, aged 87, passed away Thursday, February 26, 2026 at the Illinois Veterans Home. He was born on September 12, 1938 in Barry, Illinois to Andrew C. and Elizabeth (Peterson) McDonald. He married Anna Lynch on April 19, 1956 in Palmyra, Missouri, and she survives.

Charles attended Barry School and served in the U.S. Army from 1956 to 1959 at Fort Leonard Wood and in France as a U-boat operator. After he was honorably discharged, he came home and worked as a farmhand for area farmers. He then moved to Annada, Missouri and was employed for a grain elevator driving a grain truck. In 1966 he worked at Motorola, then to Gardner Denver, then to Parker-Gates (Harris) where he retired in 1981 due to an injury.

He loved the outdoors, working in his vegetable garden, and camping at Mark Twain Lake and Sweetwater in Wyoming. Family was very important to him and he was a huge family man. He cherished the time he spent with his grandchildren. Charles was a wonderful husband and father and a devoted grandpa. He wasn’t one to speak “I love you”, but knew how to let everyone feel his love.

Survivors include; Anna, his loving wife of almost 70 years; children, Anita (Kevin) Wilson of Perry, Illinois, Charles Arthur McDonald of Quincy, Illinois, Dennis (Kay) McDonald of Plainville, Illinois; and William (Resty) McDonald of New London, Missouri; grandchildren, Kevin, Brandon, Katie, Benjamin, Cody, Keeley Sue, Tasha, Jessica and Kelsey; 15 great-grandchildren; and brothers-in-law, William Lynch, Willard (Janet) Lynch, Frankie Lynch and Russell Lynch.

He was preceded by: his parents; brothers, Art, Albert, Leslie, Ernie and twin brothers at birth; sisters, Frieda, Edith and Helen; three sisters-in-law, Mary (William Thomas) Smith, Diane Lynch and Bonnie Lynch; and two brothers-in-law, Leonard Wayne Lynch and Roy Lynch.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.  Memorials are suggested to Illinois Veterans Home Activity Fund.  Online condolences may be left to the family at www.nieburfh.com. Niebur Funeral Chapel in Barry, IL is handling the arrangements.

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