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Tom J. McDonald
POSEYVILLE — Tom J. McDonald, age 74, of rural Poseyville, died at 12:40 p.m. Thursday, July 21, 2005, at his home near Poseyville, Indiana. He was born in Seminole, Oklahoma, on November 2, 1930, to T.J. and Madge (Huddle) McDonald, who predeceased him. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Ruth Ann (Williams) McDonald; a daughter, Lisa Kay McDonald of Poseyville; and a son, C. Scott McDonald, and his wife, Nancy, of Tyler, Texas.
Tom was a 1948 graduate of New Harmony High School, where he participated in sports and was a member of the Beta Club, a scholastic society. He also graduated from Oklahoma University in 1957 with a bachelor of science degree in geology. He enlisted in the Air Force in 1949 and attained the rank of sergeant. In 1951 he was accepted and attended Army Officer Candidate School and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, Infantry. He then attended Jump School and Jump Master School prior to an assignment with the 82nd Airborne Division. He was then sent to Korea with the Korean Military Advisory Group, where he was awarded the Bronze Star. Upon release from active duty, he enrolled at Oklahoma University and upon graduation went to work for Humble Oil & Refining Co. in New Orleans, Louisiana. Subsequently, he worked for Signal Oil & Gas, Marathon, Edwin L. Cox of Dallas and Swift Energy Company. His career of 30 years was onshore and offshore of the U.S. Gulf Coast from Fort Myers, Florida, to Matamoras, Texas, with a short tour in Scotland and the North Sea, where he was instrumental in the discovery and development of Thistle Field, a 450 million barrel oil field.
Upon retirement in 1985 as Vice President and Director of Swift Energy Company, he and Ruth moved back to Posey County, built their dream home and traveled extensively in Europe and North America.
Tom was a Certified Petroleum Geologist, member of American Association of Petroleum Geologists and the Houston, Texas, Lafayette, Louisiana, and Indiana-Kentucky Geological societies, Oak Meadow and Carmi country clubs, Lafayette, Louisiana, and Evansville Petroleum clubs, American Legion Post 278 and Veterans of Foreign Wars. He had served as President and Director of Saint Andrews Society. he was a member of Clan Donald, USA, Clan Donald Society of Texas and the Cherokee Nation, as his ancestors were moved to Oklahoma on the Trail of Tears.
He was a member and had served as Senior Warden of St. Stephens Episcopal Church in New Harmony, Indiana.
Services will be held at Werry Funeral Home, Poseyville Chapel, at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, July 25, 2005, Reverend Martha Honaker officiating. Visitation will be 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on the day of service.
Tom requested no flowers, asking remembrances be made to St. Stephens Episcopal Church, local humane societies or the American Cancer Society.
-Evansville Indiana Courier & Press
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