Obituary of John MacDonald

John "Jack" MacDonald, a resident of Mullica Hill, New Jersey, passed away on Tuesday, November 2, 2021.  He was 89.
 
Legacy
Born to the late Norman and Mary Grace (O'Donnell) MacDonald. Jack was born and raised in Camden, NJ during the Great Depression and  a resident of Camden from 1932-1972.  He was a Veteran of the United States Navy from 1950-1953 during the Korean War serving on the USS Power DD-839.  He was proud of his Scotch/Irish heritage. He was a patriotic man always displaying American Flags on his lawn. His favorite toy was his John Deere riding mower. After having a stroke in 2015 and unable to drive, it brought him great joy to hop on his rider. He was a skilled woodworker and enjoyed gardening. After retiring in 1994 woodworking and gardening became his daily passion and he amazed everyone with his creativity. He was a lifetime member of VFW Post 1616 in Williamstown, NJ.  He was a loyal dedicated Eagles fan and was grateful he lived to see them go to the Super Bowl.
 
Jack was the youngest of his eight siblings. Their hearts were broken when they lost their mother in 1938, Jack was only six years old and was the only sibling raised by his father.  It was a safer America during those times and he told stories of hopping three buses to his favorite amusement park at 8 years old or riding on a box car train with the horses to Florida when he worked for the Garden State Race Track as a young man. There wasn't much food during the Depression and he told how his father would take a jelly or ketchup sandwich to work everyday saving his waxed paper and paper bag. And how excited he would be when his dad gave him money to buy a hotdog. He said when he joined the Navy he was so happy to get new underwear, t-shirts and three meals a day. He was a man of few words.  He showed his love by his actions. If it was broke, he was fixing it or creating one of his woodworking projects to surprise someone he loved. His romantic heart was expressed in his very carefully chosen cards for his wife Helen Jane and signing it, "Love You Always, xxxxxxxxoooooooo."

Jack was a determined man. He defied the doctors after surviving a catastrophic brain bleed and than a stroke being discharged to Hospice at 83 years old. He was determined to walk again and worked hard to reach that goal. In one month's time with physical therapy (thank you Michael Walters @ Victory PT) he was up walking with a cane and anxious to get working in his wood shop. Even during his last days he said, "I'm not done doing everything I wanted to get done," and he named more projects he was planning to do.
Greatly missed by all who knew him and loved him. Please join us for his Celebration of Life.

Family
He is predeceased by his beloved wife, Helen Jane Heacock; devoted father of Karen Bigwood, John MacDonald and Michael MacDonald (Enza); predeceased by eight siblings, Laura, Dorothy "Dot," Norman "Bud,' Elizabeth "Bess," Grace, Harry, Dolores, and Joan; loving grandfather to Michael "Mick," John, Jr., Jason, Tabitha, Michael, Jr., Tara, Anthony, Nicholas, Rebecca, Stephanie, Derek, David, Mary Grace, Luke and Joseph; and great grandfather to fifteen.
 
Farewell Tribute
Relatives and friends are invited to attend his visitation at 10:00AM in the McGuinness Funeral Home - Washington Township, 573 Egg Harbor Road. A service will follow at 11:30am.  A committal service will take place at Gloucester County Veterans Cemetery with honors.

The family has requested that guests wear Philadelphia Eagles attire. In lieu of flowers for those who would like to contribute, donations are being accepted for a memorial plaque on a bench at  Veterans Cemetery. Checks made out to Karen Bigwood/ Paypal karenmary55@yahoo.com or to bring a simple garden flower or envelope of tomato seeds with a hand written note for the family to share. Share the memories … share love … ShareLife® at www.mcgfuneral.com.