Alan James McDonald
August 27, 1944 - August 13, 2024
Born at St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Yakima, Washington to Clarke and Mary McDonald with a big brother Chris waiting at home waiting to play and fish. Alan went to Davis High School and was a track runner, setting and breaking a DAVIS record in the BIG FIVE MILE in 4 minutes 41 seconds. He also turned out for football and got the winning touchdown at one game. All of his friends knew him by his 1930 FORD ROADSTER. Alan joined the National Guard with his cousin Ed Parten on the buddy system from 1965 to 71 and then he was Honorably Discharged and joined the AMVETS as a life member. Alan went to DeVry Technical Institute in Phoenix AZ getting a degree in Television. Coming back to Vancouver he got a job with KPTV channel 12 in Portland which he retired from in 2000. 32 and ½ years to the day! While working at KPTV he met the love of his life Mary Suzannah (SUE) Purser/White. What a wonderful and blessed 50+ years they had together. Raising her three children Jeff, Sheri and Tim, loving them as his own! Retiring in 2000, Alan and Sue got a RV and traveled the western states and while in AZ fell in love with the things to do there and had cousins that lived in a wonderful place called Tucson Estates. Finding a cute little home and he thought WOW we struck gold. Alan became the official photographer for many years taking pictures, not only for activities and shows, but just fun shots and then would have then printed and give them away with a smile. Alan collected many shells when traveling to Mexico and lots of drift wood on the beach, made the cutest little mushrooms out of shells and used a golf tee for the base so you could plant them in your plant pots and happily gave them away to those folks here that he loved. THE BEST 50 years and 34 days of his life are over and he has gone home to be with Jesus! Romans 12:20-21. Alan leaves his wife Sue, two children, Sheri Bousquet and Tim McDonald, six living grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Services will be held on Sept. 5 at 1pm at Tahoma Cemetery, 1802 Tahoma Ave., Yakima, WA. A celebration of life will follow the service at Sportsman State Park.
Send Flowers: When Is the Ordering Deadline?
ANY DAY OF THE WEEK
Order any time up till the day before
MON-FRI Order by 2:00PM
SAT & SUN Order by noon
TUES-SAT
Order by 3:00PM
The day before
SAT & SUN Order by Saturday
Note: These are general guidelines; some florists may not be able to operate within these timelines. During peak periods such as Valentine’s Day, Memorial Day and most holidays, florists are not always able to keep up to demand. Tribute will contact you if there are any issues.
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Send Flowers: When Is the Ordering Deadline?
ANY DAY OF THE WEEK
Order any time up till the day before
MON-FRI Order by 2:00PM
SAT & SUN Order by noon
TUES-SAT
Order by 3:00PM
The day before
SAT & SUN Order by Saturday
Note: These are general guidelines; some florists may not be able to operate within these timelines. During peak periods such as Valentine’s Day, Memorial Day and most holidays, florists are not always able to keep up to demand. Tribute will contact you if there are any issues.
Plant a tree: How does it work
When your purchase is complete, a post will be made on the tribute wall of the deceased signifying the planting of a memorial tree.
An official certificate recognizing your purchase will be included with your email receipt. You can then forward the email to the family or print it and give it to them personally.
After an order is placed, our forestry partners will plant the tree in the area of greatest need (nearest the funeral home), according to the planting schedule for the year.
Due to seasonal conditions, the tree planting takes place during the spring and summer.
Tree Planting Timeline
Orders placed in:
January - May
Planting will take place in Spring or Summer of the same year.
June - December
Planting will take place in Spring of the following year.
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