James R. McDonald

James R. McDonald, son of the late Dr. Joseph and Mrs. Annette McDonald, has passed away after a very long and complex illness. He was predeceased by his siblings and their spouses: Sisters infant Patsy McDonald and Patricia (Frank) Yannuzzie, brothers Joseph (Jane), John (Joan) and Thomas (Victoria).

Jim graduated from Lebanon, Pennsylvania schools, attended Rutger’s University which he left to enlist. He served stateside in the US Army Fifth Infantry, First Mechanized Division, Red Diamond Recon during the Vietnam war, protecting the construction of Cheyenne Mountain and guarding the Gulf of Mexico during the Bay of Pigs Invasion by the Cuban Resistance. He was a lifelong member of the American Legion. As a young man, Jim was a firefighter in Plainfield, New Jersey, then owned and operated JR McDonald Company and the King’s Highway Raven’s Inn, both in Bound Brook.

Jim is survived by his wife Linda, two sons, Brian and Wyatt Bissell, their wives, Jennifer and Angie, and two grandchildren, Michaela and Henry; and son Joseph (Shelly) of Colorado. He is also survived by nieces Natalie H. McDonald of Philadelphia and Beth Yannuzzie Starpoli of New York; and nephews, Thomas, Sean, and John McDonald of Pennsylvania. For more than forty years, Jim and his family have cherished the friendship, comraderie and support of Jim’s best friend, Frank Mello of Milford.

Jim was a reverent, kind and sensitive man, husband, father, and dogfather to Tess, his faithful companion. Jim loved God, his family and country, resulting in profound insights and practical solutions for the problems of life. Many friends and relatives relied on him for his patience, strength, wisdom and very fine technical skills. He is deeply loved, cherished and missed by them all.

Jim and his family are grateful for the excellent care and support provided by his physicians and their staffs in multiple Hartford HealthCare locations. A private funeral was held at Spear Miller Funeral home, with a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Pius X Catholic Church in Fairfield, followed by internment at Walnut Grove Cemetery with full military honors. Graveside services were provided by Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Church, Meriden. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Pius X or Our Lady Queen of Angels.