Lonnie McDonald

Clarence Lon “Lonnie” McDonald was born August 19,1939 to Joseph Haskell and Sadie Frances (Abbott) McDonald in Dumas, TX. His early life was spent in Dumas and a small Southeastern Oklahoma community, Buffalo Valley. Lonnie graduated from Buffalo Valley High School in 1957 and then attended Eastern Oklahoma State for a short time. On September 6, 1958, Lonnie married his long-time sweetheart, Jean Linker, and they made their first home as a family in Farmington, NM. They returned to Buffalo Valley in June of 1959 when they celebrated the birth of their son, Michael Lon McDonald. When Mike was 3 weeks old they moved back to Dumas where they have made their home since. Their daughter, Barbara Kathleen, was born on July 9, 1968. 

The first few years of their marriage Lonnie worked in construction for McDonald Concrete and also as a roughneck on oil rigs. In 1960, Lonnie went to work for McMorries and Burns, a civil engineering firm in Dumas where he was employed for 23 years. Afterwards in 1983, he opened McDonald Surveying and ran it until June of 2024. During his surveying career, he drew maps of Dumas and many of the surrounding towns as well as completing house plats on most residences in and around Dumas. He enjoyed his work and never considered retirement. He wanted to keep busy and he always said it gave him something to do.

 Lonnie always had a hobby to occupy him. They changed over the years but he was a talented woodworker building everything from cabinets and jewelry boxes to houses. He enjoyed building and flying RC airplanes for many years. Later on he and Jean took great pleasure in having a beautiful yard on their 3 acre property west of Dumas. Lonnie especially loved roses. He had over 120 rose bushes at one time and had labeled where each was planted on the plat of their house. But Lonnie’s favorite hobby of all was definitely fly fishing. In 2000, Jean and Lonnie purchased a cabin between Eagle Nest and Angel Fire New Mexico. They loved spending time there and Lonnie loved the easy access to great fishing.

 Most of all Lonnie loved his family. He was raised in a boisterous household with five sisters and two brothers. The siblings have worked very hard through the decades to remain close in spite of busy lives and great distances. Lonnie was an amazing husband. He and Jeanie shared 66 wonderful years together. He was a loving and devoted father and grandfather. He loved nothing better than spending time with his family, and they took many camping vacations to the mountains of New Mexico and Colorado with their children, grandchildren, and even great grandchildren.

 Lonnie is preceded in death by his parents Joe and Frances McDonald and brother Jerry McDonald. 

He is survived by his wife Jean of the home; son Mike and wife Nikki McDonald of Dumas; Daughter Kathy and husband Greg Bybee of Dumas; grandsons Jason McDonald and wife Iris, Arliss McDonald and wife Morgan, Zachary Bybee, Tyler Bybee and fiance Julia Blanchard, and Ryan Bybee and wife Evyn; granddaughter Kara Thompson and husband Devon; great grandchildren Trace McDonald, Emmalee McDonald, Luke Thompson, Lane Thompson, Lynlee Thompson, Simon Bybee, Larkin McDonald, Ailee Bybee and soon to be Wrigley McDonald.

 The funeral service will be held Friday, February 14, 2025, at 2 o'clock in the afternoon at First Baptist Church in Dumas with Pastor Matt Price, pastor of the church, officiating. Interment will follow in Dumas Cemetery under the direction of Beeson ~ Morrison Funeral Directors. The family will receive visitors at the funeral home on Thursday from 5 o'clock until 7 o'clock in the evening.