James Melvin Mcdonald

James Melvin McDonald, age 76, of Grants Pass, died Friday, January 11, 2008 at an adult foster home.

A funeral service will be at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, January 19, 2008 at Hull & Hull Chapel with Pastor Dave Price officiating. Interment will follow at Hawthorne Memorial Gardens. Hull & Hull Funeral Directors are in charge of arrangements.

Remembrances may be made to a charity of your choice.

He was born July 14, 1931 in Atoka, Oklahoma to John & Allouie McDonald. In 1948 he moved from Oklahoma to Grants Pass. On April 7, 1951 in Reno, Nevada he married Betty Jo Bushnell. From 1953 to 1955 he served in the United States Army at Fort Lewis, Washington. After his honorable discharge from the military, he went to work logging and working in lumber mills as a sawyer. In 1957 he survived a near fatal accident working in a Rogue River mill that left his arm hanging on by only skin and ligaments. His arm was reattached and he learned to use it again as he continued working in sawmills. In 1980 when the mills began to close down, he started farming alfalfa in Christmas Valley. He continued farming for about 25 years and retired to Grants Pass in 2007.

His hobbies included fishing, hunting, mechanic work on cars and machinery, and building.

In addition to his wife, Betty Jo McDonald of Grants Pass; he is survived by three sons, Kevin L. McDonald of Christmas Valley, Gregg A. McDonald of Portland, and Eric S. McDonald of Grants Pass; a daughter, Stacey J. Shropshire of Grants Pass; a sister, Mary L. Langhurst of Albany; six grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, John & Allouie McDonald and three brothers, Jesse, Chester, and Vester McDonald.