Charles D. McDonald

Posted on April 9, 2025

Charles D. McDonald, 83, passed away on April 1, 2025.

He was the youngest son of Earl and Babe McDonald, born April 23, 1941 in Butler, Ky.

Charles’ parents were “sharecroppers” and lived on various farms, with him entering Portland school at the age of six.

In 1947, the family moved to Foster, Ky., and he was enrolled at Western Hills school.

Charles completed the eighth grade, but later dropped out at the age of 15 to help his family with their farm.

On March 16, 1964, Charles was drafted into the U.S. Army and went to Fort Knox, Ky., for his basic training.

Following his basic training, Charles was sent to Ft. Riley, Kan., for Advanced Infantry Training, which he excelled in.

Along with the combat skills demonstrated, Charles was a sharpshooter with the M-1 Rifle, sharpshooter with the M-14 Rifle, sharpshooter with the .45 caliber pistol and expert with the M-60 Machine gun.

He had the highest score on his Company test.

Charles was assigned to the 26th Infantry, 1st Mechanized Infantry Division as 2nd gunner on the M-60 machine gun and advanced to first gunner and team leader of the weapons squad after one week of assignment.

Charles was in a sergeant slot the whole time he was in the First Division and was offered this in Vietnam. After about a year, most of the Company had been reassigned to the 18th Infantry and dispatched as the first combat troops to go to Vietnam.

While serving in Vietnam, Charles was wounded two times from three mine explosions and had many close calls in combat.

He was awarded the “Purple Heart,” the “Combat Infantry Badge” and the Vietnam Service medal for Valor.

Charles and his wife, Shirley, were members of Midway Baptist Church in Perry.

He was a life member of the Vietnam Veterans of America and life member of The Society of the First Infantry Division (The Big Red One).

He was a life member of the American Legion, a life member of the Veteran of Foreign Wars, life member of Military of Purple Heart, a member of Sons of Confederate Veterans and a life member of the AMVETS.

Charles was the assistant ScoutMaster for Troop 8 Boy Scouts of America in Independence, Ky.

He began a relationship with Shirley Ann Willis which soon developed into a love affair.

While Charles was in Vietnam, Shirley wrote to him on a regular basis.

After getting out of the Army, Charles went back to farming in Union, Ky.

On May 5, 1966, he took a job with Crescent Paper Tube Company where he was promoted to supervisor of his entire department in record time.

In the meantime, Charles’ relationship with Shirley had turned to dating and within months, on Aug. 26, 1966 in Covington, Ky., they got married by a Justice of the Peace.

Having seen his parents’ struggle and himself having lived as a tenant all of his life, Charles first bought a mobile home and situated it in Boone County on land owned by another.

After eight years he sold it and bought a house in Florence Ky., where he and his wife raised their children.

Charles was a fellow bowler, winning many trophies, a horseshoe player with more trophies added to his collection, a roller-skating enthusiast, a general run-about and a brilliant card player, bringing many to their knees in poker games.

He and Shirley eventually took to karaoke and spent much of their time participating in this activity. Charles got his G.E.D. on May 14, 1981, after having been out of school for 25 years.

Charles was an active member with the Vietnam Veterans and served on numerous committees.

In 2001 he was named 1st Vice President of Chapter #88 in Florence, where he was a lifetime member.

He was also a member of the American Legion, Disabled American Veterans and a lifetime member Quartermaster of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Charles was preceded in death by his parents, Earl and Babe McDonald.

He is survived by: his wife, Shirley; and their three sons, Charles Dee McDonald II , Kenneth Earl McDonald and Richard Anthony McDonald.

Funeral services were held Monday, April 7, 2025, at noon at Midway Baptist Church in Perry with Brother Tom Studstill officiating. Visitation was held one hour prior to the service. Interment service followed in Pineview Cemetery in Perry.

All services are under the care of Joe P. Burns Funeral Home.