John Edward McDonald

John Edward McDonald, 74, of Concho, Arizona passed away, Tuesday, June 20, 2023 after a four-month battle with cancer. He was born September 8, 1948 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada to John Charles McDonald and Rita Edna Cavanaugh.

John, a loving and devoted husband and stepfather, is survived by his wife, Nancy Russell Halmstad McDonald, Concho; stepchildren, Andrew (Amanda) Halmstad, Portland, Oregon; Matthew Halmstad, Albuquerque, New Mexico; siblings, Louise (Noel) Morin, Suzanne (Neil) Gysbers, Bessie (Tom) Sweazey, Greg (Faith) McDonald and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his parents, stepchild, Jeremy Halmstad and siblings, Charlene Elizabeth Spratt and Bruce James McDonald.

John served in the Canadian Army as Sergeant, June 17, 1966, 3rd Squadron 2nd Regiment of Dragoons, K Troop, hardship tour in Fiddlers Green. John later crossed the US border in 1968 in Rochester, New York and joined the US Army. He served in Vietnam from 1969 to 1970, became a citizen of the United States and was awarded the Purple Heart, Combat Infantryman Badge and Vietnam Campaign Medal, among other service awards. John served in the Army again in 1980 to 1984, the last 24 months in Germany along the Czech border at the time that the wall came down.

After a few years living in Phoenix where he worked construction, John found his home in the White Mountains of Arizona in 1987 where he resided until his passing, along with his wife, Nancy, and four lovable four-legged critters. He was truly an animal lover and avid gardener. He worked for many years as a long-haul trucker, owned a tire business, shoed horses and numerous other jobs until his retirement.

During his time on the ranch, John wrote and published nine action/adventure books, beginning with his time in Vietnam, both fiction and non-fiction; following the characters in his book to their life back in the states. He did numerous book tours for which he was well received, especially among his fellow veterans and close friends.

John was a warm, kind-hearted man who never met a stranger. He loved to sit around and tell stories to all his friends and neighbors and was always there to help whenever needed. He could be found on most days, plowing his roads around the ranch as well as those of his neighbors on his beloved 1939 9N Ford tractor.

John was a member of the San Rafael Catholic Church in Concho. He will be greatly missed by his family, dear friends and church family.

Rosary will be held Friday, July 7, 2023 at 9:00 a.m. at San Rafael Catholic Church, Concho, followed by a funeral Mass at 10:00 a.m. Interment will follow the services at the Concho Catholic Cemetery.

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