John William McDonald Jr.

John William McDonald Jr., 78, of Missoula, passed away Sunday morning, Jan. 19, 2014, at his home. John, the son of John and Eva McDonald, was born Dec. 30, 1935, in Cody, Wyo., and was baptized Catholic.

His family moved to Bozeman in 1937, then to Kalispell in 1945 and eventually to Billings in 1949, where John graduated from Billings Senior High School in 1954. He attended Montana State University-Billings for two years before transferring to the University of Montana in Missoula, where he earned a bachelor's degree in business administration in 1958, and a juris doctorate degree from the School of Law in 1961. John was a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma, Alpha Kappa Psi and Phi Kappa Phi honorary societies at UM; he was also a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity.

John married Ann Lenore Woods on April 17, 1960, in Missoula. John was a member of the American and Montana bar associations and was included in Marquis' "Who's Who in America Law" in the 1977 to 1980 editions. John enjoyed hunting and fishing in Flathead Lake and the Yellowstone River; he was an avid UM Grizzlies football fan, Boston Red Sox baseball fan and Chicago Bears football fan.

John had his own private law practice in Livingston from 1962 to 1977. In 1978, he moved to Missoula and became a professor in the School of Law at the University of Montana, where he served for 15 years before retiring in 1993.

John was preceded in death by his parents and his only sister, Juanita Vollmer, all of Bozeman; and his older brother, Arthur of Idaho Falls. Survivors include his wife, Ann, and daughter, Leanne, both of Missoula; son, Kevin (Kristin) of Helena; younger brother, Allan (Linda) of Ogden, Utah; and three grandchildren, Rick, Daniel and John Allan.

A funeral service will be held at 1:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 24, at Garden City Funeral Home, 1705 W. Broadway.

John will be sorely missed by his family members, university colleagues, and many neighbors and friends. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of John can be made to the University of Montana, Rocky Mountain Hospice in Missoula, the Griz football program or to any charity of your choice

Read John McDonald Jr.'s Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.