Charlie B. McDonald

Charlie B. McDonald, of Abilene, died Thursday, January 10, 2008 at the age of 87. The family will receive friends today, Friday, January 11, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road. Funeral services will be at 11:00 am on Saturday, at the First Church of The Nazarene, with Pastor Garland Wallace and Brother O.W. Wilson officiating. Burial will follow in the Buffalo Gap Cemetery. Charlie was born November 9, 1920 in Thurber, Texas to Sam Jones McDonald and Lettie (Castleman) McDonald. He graduated from high school in Norton, Texas in Runnels County and attended Draughon's Business College for one year. April 19, 1941, Charlie married Ola Loella Brown in Abilene, Texas. The couple lived in Buffalo Gap from 1941 until 1961, before moving to Abilene. Charlie joined the United States Army Infantry 32nd Division where he served in the Pacific during World War II. After the war, he served in the Army of Occupation for 9 months in the Philippines and in Japan. Before entering the Army, Charlie was a brakeman for the Santa Fe Railroad. From 1948 to 1957, Charlie was the Postmaster of the Buffalo Gap Post Office. In 1978, he retired as a letter carrier from the Abilene Postal Service. He worked in the postal service for more than 29 years. Charlie was an active member of the First Church of the Nazarene where he served on several committees and was a member of Kingdom Builders Sunday School Class. Preceding Charlie in death were his parents, one brother, one sister, and one grandson, Jody McDonald in 1994. He is survived by his wife, Loella McDonald, of Abilene; two sons, Jerry McDonald and his wife Lynda, and Dennis McDonald and his wife Charolett, all of Abilene; one daughter, Sandra Hollowell and her husband Tommy, of Abilene; four sisters, Laverne Watkins, Pansy (Pat) Mackey, and Kathleen Ford, all of San Angelo, and Patsy Sims, of Waco; one brother, Jack McDonald, of Hawley; three grandsons, Tommy Glen Hollowell and his wife Dena, of Abilene, Brad McDonald and his wife Melinda, of Potosi, and Wade McDonald, of Abilene; three granddaughters, Mindy Broadfoot and her husband Terry, of Clyde, Pamela Hollowell, of Austin, and Teri Balich and her husband Dan, of Haslet; 15 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great grandchildren. Memorials may be made in honor of Charlie to the First Church Of The Nazarene Building Fund, 2849 Beltway South, Abilene, Texas 79606.