WILTON – James “Jim” J. McDonald, 58, of Wilton, died following a courageous battle with a lengthy illness, on Tuesday morning, Feb. 2, at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center in Lewiston, with his family by his side.

He was born June 9, 1946, in Millinocket, a son of the late George Craig Cormack and Glenis Fern (Higgins) McDonald. He attended Millinocket schools and was a graduate of Stearns High School, Class of 1964. He graduated from the former Southern Maine Vocational Technical Institute, in 1966.

On Oct. 27, 1967, he married the former Martha J. Thorndike in Weld. For more than 24 years, he worked at International Paper in Jay, and then with Boise in Rumford, until his retirement in 1996. He was a member of the Farmington Elks 2430, where he served as Exhalted Ruler in 1983. He was a Cub Scout and Webelos leader, and a former member of the East Dixfield Fire Department. He also assisted with the institution of the Hazmat team and fire brigade at the International Paper Mill in Jay. He enjoyed woodworking, puttering around and tinkering on anything, “there wasn’t much he couldn’t do.” He loved to spend time on his boat, especially with his grandchildren, who were the light of his life. He will be remembered as a very special man to his family and many friends.

In addition to his wife of more than 37 years of Wilton, he is survived by a daughter, Jennifer Scott and her companion, Scott Sanders, of Wilton; two sons, James McDonald II and his wife, Erica, of New Hampshire, and Timothy McDonald and his wife, Heather, of Turner; a sister, Elizabeth “Betty” Bouchard and her husband, Leo, of Millinocket; seven grandchildren, Bradley and Brandon Scott, Morgan and Cecelia McDonald, Heather Kaye, and Brianna and Hunter McDonald; stepgrandson, Randall Doak; a special cousin, Gail Labbe and her husband, Joseph, of Windham; a special friend, Kendall Burdin and his wife, Ann, of Wilton; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and in-laws.

In additions to his parents, he is preceded in death by two brothers, Carl who died in 1960 and Phillip “Squeak” who died in 2000.

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