1938
James
2023
James Thomas Mcdonald
January 5, 1938 — August 17, 2023
James “Jimmy” T. McDonald, age 85, of Preston, IA, passed away August 17, 2023 in his home with his family by his side. A funeral mass will be held at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Preston, at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, August 21. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery.
Jimmy was born January 5, 1938 in Clinton, IA, the son of John M. and Marjorie (Lanaghan) McDonald. He grew up in the Preston/Goose Lake area and graduated from Goose Lake High School with the class of 1956. On July 8, 1972, Jimmy married Trula Urbanek at St. Joseph Catholic Church.
A farm boy through and through, Jimmy went right to work on the McDonald family farm at the base of Sugar Creek Hill. He would go on to farm that land the rest of his life. He had a deep love for farming and even after retiring in 2011, he’d still regularly help out wherever he could.
Jimmy, a lifelong member of St Joseph Catholic Church, participated in his community as a charter member of the Goose Lake Lions Club and a leader of the Goose Lake Junior Feeders 4-H Club. In relation to his beloved profession, Jimmy served on the Clinton County Conservation Board and was a member of the American Shorthorn Association. He truly loved raising his Shorthorn cattle, and you could catch him at just about every cattle show and sale in the area.
In his spare time, Jimmy was likely cheering on his Iowa Hawkeyes! He and Trula were always season ticket holders for the football and basketball seasons and regularly attended games with their children and grandchildren. Maybe the only sports and events he liked more than the Hawkeye games, were those involving his grandchildren.
Jimmy is survived by his wife, Trula; son, James (Kelley) McDonald, of Preston; daughter, Kerry (Travis) Juilfs, of Dalhart, TX; grandchildren, Chance and Colby Juilfs, and Hadley Jo and Lane McDonald; sister-in-law, Grace McDonald; and many nieces and nephews. James is preceded in death by his parents, John and Marjorie; sister, Annabeth Determan; brother, John McDonald, and two nephews
Jimmy was born January 5, 1938 in Clinton, IA, the son of John M. and Marjorie (Lanaghan) McDonald. He grew up in the Preston/Goose Lake area and graduated from Goose Lake High School with the class of 1956. On July 8, 1972, Jimmy married Trula Urbanek at St. Joseph Catholic Church.
A farm boy through and through, Jimmy went right to work on the McDonald family farm at the base of Sugar Creek Hill. He would go on to farm that land the rest of his life. He had a deep love for farming and even after retiring in 2011, he’d still regularly help out wherever he could.
Jimmy, a lifelong member of St Joseph Catholic Church, participated in his community as a charter member of the Goose Lake Lions Club and a leader of the Goose Lake Junior Feeders 4-H Club. In relation to his beloved profession, Jimmy served on the Clinton County Conservation Board and was a member of the American Shorthorn Association. He truly loved raising his Shorthorn cattle, and you could catch him at just about every cattle show and sale in the area.
In his spare time, Jimmy was likely cheering on his Iowa Hawkeyes! He and Trula were always season ticket holders for the football and basketball seasons and regularly attended games with their children and grandchildren. Maybe the only sports and events he liked more than the Hawkeye games, were those involving his grandchildren.
Jimmy is survived by his wife, Trula; son, James (Kelley) McDonald, of Preston; daughter, Kerry (Travis) Juilfs, of Dalhart, TX; grandchildren, Chance and Colby Juilfs, and Hadley Jo and Lane McDonald; sister-in-law, Grace McDonald; and many nieces and nephews. James is preceded in death by his parents, John and Marjorie; sister, Annabeth Determan; brother, John McDonald, and two nephews
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