Clarence McDonald

Mr. Clarence McDonald of Rush City and (McDonald Distributing of Rush City) died Monday at the Golden Living Center in Rush City, Minnesota at the age of 97 years. Clarence Edward McDonald was born on September 23, 1913 in St. Paul, MN. He moved to Rush City with his parents at the age of one and attended Rush City Schools, participating in basketball and track. After graduation from high school he attended Virginia Junior College in Virginia, MN specializing in engineering, and worked with his brother, Jim, at Lutsen Resort as bellboys. During WWII he worked for Douglas Aircraft inspecting airplanes in California for $.50/hour. He married Ardis Anderson of Cambridge in 1938 and to this union three children were born-Gary, Greg and Gayle. In 1932, he and his father, C. P. McDonald, started McDonald Distributing Company selling candy and tobacco products. After Prohibition ended in 1933 they started selling Heileman and Glueck’s beer initially and in 1950 Anheuser-Busch representatives approached them to sell their products. At first they rejected the request but after a second visit they decided to distribute their products and the company has continued as primary wholesalers of Anheuser-Busch beers for over 60 years. Clarence was a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus, Rush City Council, more than 50 years as director on the First State Bank of Rush City, now Unity Bank, and on the board of the Rush City Development Corp. He was an avid bowler and loved to hunt and fish with friends. At the age of 62 he obtained his pilot’s license and purchased a Piper Cherokee airplane in 1973. Clarence could never fully retire and kept active maintaining his selling route locally. Clarence and Ardis celebrated 67 years together and enjoyed trips to Europe and throughout the US with friends. In his later years he looked forward to weekend trips to Greg’s cabin in Wisconsin to be with his family. When Clarence was honored by the Rush City Commercial Club in 1979, then president C.E.Jacobson labeled Clarence “who is always positive” and “has good things to say about things and about people.” He also said Clarence possessed understanding, empathy, compassion, a positive attitude and a mild manner. Clarence is survived by his son Greg McDonald and his wife Kathy of Rush City Daughter Gayle Parnow and her husband Bob of Kansas City, MO., Grandchildren Tim McDonald and wife Brenda of Rush City, Ann Parnow of Washington D.C., great grandchildren Jackie, Katelyn and Shea McDonald. Also surviving Clarence is his sisters-in-law Margaret McDonald of Pine City, Jean Prudhomme of Rush City, Phyllis McDonald of Grandbury, Texas and brother-in-law Orville (Lorraine) Anderson, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents Clarence P. and Josephine (McGuire) McDonald, wife Ardis, son Gary McDonald and granddaughter Tami McDonald, brothers Jim (Marion), Jack and Earl McDonald and Richard Prudhomme. Funeral services were held 2:00 p.m. Thursday (12/2/2010) with Fr. Edwin Savundra, Fr. Xavier Thellakott and Rev. Laurie O’Shea officiating at the Church of the Sacred Heart in Rush City. Music was provided by soloist Mark Prudhomme, organist Dianne Kirchberg and pianist Rev. Laurie O’Shea. A time of visitation & reviewel was observed Wednesday evening from 5-7 p.m. at the Olson Chapel with a Knights of Columbus Rosary @ 7:00 P.M. There was also visitation and reviewel one hour prior to the funeral Mass at the church on Thursday. Honorary casket bearers included Louis Perreault, Wes Gaustad, Ted Diers, Bob Booth and Duane Dahlstrom. The active casket bearers included Tim McDonald, Bob Parnow, Frank Winges, Randy Perreault, Ron Hestbeck and Mike Carroll with the interment in the Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Rush City. Memorials are preferred to the donor's choice.