1914-2007

Donald Craig MacDonald, formerly of Roxbury, Conn., died peacefully in his sleep on August 29 in Southbury at age 93. Pre-deceased by his wife Esther and brother Gilmour, he is survived by two sisters, Ruth Lamoureaux and Mary Janet Dunlap, daughter Ellen Denmead, sons Stuart and Douglas, grandson Kenneth Denmead, and great-grandsons Eli and Quinn Denmead.
Born in Lincoln, Neb., in 1914, Donald was raised in Ames, Iowa, where his father chaired the Iowa State University Forestry Department. Summers spent at the family cottage at Cass Lake, Minn., visits to his father's forestry camp, and family camping trips in western national parks forged in him a love of the outdoors and great respect for untouched nature. He also had a lifelong love of astronomy.
After graduating from Iowa State University, Donald earned a Ph.D. in nuclear physics at Ohio State University in Columbus, where he met his future wife, Esther Cravens. They were married in 1941. During World War II he worked in munitions testing at Battelle National Laboratory in Columbus. The remainder of his career was spent with U.S. Rubber Company (Uniroyal) in New Jersey and Oxford, Conn. Dr. MacDonald conducted research in viscoelasticity measurement, tread noise reduction, and composite materials development for deep-submergence vehicles.
Donald and Esther raised their children in northern New Jersey, but in 1970 moved to a home they built in Roxbury. Donald took great pride in maintaining its wooded environment and served on the local nature conservancy committee. He and Esther were active members of the Roxbury Congregational Church. Donald stayed in Roxbury after Esther's death in 1993, but in 2002 he moved to East Hill Woods in Southbury.
Donald will be deeply missed by his family and his friends from Roxbury and East Hill Woods. He was distinguished by his gentle nature, his brilliant mind, his firm convictions, and his devotion to his wife Esther, and since her death, to his dear friend, the late Marie White.
A memorial service will be held on Sunday, Sept. 16 at 2 p.m. at the Roxbury Congregational Church, 24 Church Street Roxbury 06783. Donations in Donald's memory may be made to the church's reading room, which he and Esther helped equip, or to the Roxbury Public Library, 23 South Street, Roxbury 06783.
The Southbury Funeral Home of Munson-Lovetere, 235 Main Street North is in charge of arrangements, to send an on line condolence visit www.munsonloveterefuneralhome.com

Memorials: Donations in Donald's memory may be made to the church's reading room, which he and Esther helped equip, or to the Roxbury Public Library, 23 South Street, Roxbury 06783.

Cemetery: Cemetery Not Applicable

Location: Munson-Lovetere Woodbury

Funeral: Roxbury Congregational Church

Services: A memorial service will be held on Sunday, Sept. 16 at 2 p.m. at the Roxbury Congregational Church, 24 Church Street Roxbury 06783.

Visitation: There are no calling hours.