Bud McDonald left this world for a better place Dec. 30, 2020. He passed away peacefully at Spirit Mountain Hospice House after a year-long battle with heart and kidney disease.
Bud was born Sept. 9, 1942, in Houston, Texas, to Lionel H. McDonald Sr. and Lillian Lahusen McDonald. He graduated from Jesse Jones High School in 1961 and received his Bachelor of Science degree in 1965 and his Bachelor of Architecture degree in 1966 from University of Houston.
His first employment was with the City of Houston Planning Department. In Houston, he served on many Architectural Advisory Boards and represented various business to resolve zoning issues.
Bud was a Lifetime Member and Lifetime Committeeman for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, created the Directions and Assistance Committee, BBQ Committee Member and organized food preparation to serve three meals per day for the VIPs and officials for the weeks during rodeo.
In 1970 he met Kathy Modesett and they were married in 1971 in Houston. He worked at various private engineering and land planning firms as a consultant and in the early ’80s joined Dresser Industries as VP of Facilities Planning. He secured land and planned usage for loading docks, warehouse buildings and storage units for the oil fields in the U.S. as well as in foreign countries.
Bud was first introduced to Wyoming in the ’80s while overseeing projects for Dresser in Casper, Rock Springs, Green River and Lysite.
In 1993 when Kathy’s parents were seeking a retirement home, they announced they had found a vacation home in the Cody area. Bud could not believe they wanted to retire in Wyoming as he visualized it being akin to the towns in which he had worked. He and Kathy immediately flew to Cody to see what they could possibly find of interest and at that time also fell in love with the area.
In early 1994 he, Kathy and her parents Louise and Charles Modesett relocated to Cody. Bud did contract work for Campbell and Associates and later joined Engineering Associates where he remained until retirement. He enjoyed serving as a Construction Inspector on various water lines, sewer lagoons and road construction projects in Cody as well as Greybull, Dubois, Thermopolis and surrounding areas. He made many friends and thoroughly enjoyed each and every project.
Through the years Bud was an active member of Cody Optimists, Elks Club, served on the City’s Planning and Zoning Board, Architectural Advisory Committee, Indian Pass Water District, and President of Spirit Mountain Water Company. After his retirement he also assisted Kathy with her “3 Dog Rescue” and fell in love with numerous fosters that came through his home. Bud’s most cherished volunteer position of 13 years, however, was the planning and coordination of volunteers in providing the annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner. He truly loved the mountains, wildlife, fishing, his many friends and the peaceful surroundings of Wyoming.
Bud leaves his wife of 50 years and was preceded in death by his parents of Metarie, La., and his sister Barbara Currey Jorgensen of Mt. Pleasant, S.C.
He will be remembered for his continual sense of humor, his gift of gab, his dedication to the community and his compassion for mankind. His ashes will be spread in his favorite location on the Beartooth Highway and a Memorial Remembrance will be in the Spring at Jerry Kinkade’s K3 Guest Ranch, where he cooked breakfast and enjoyed many travelers.
We ask in lieu of flowers that donations be made in his memory and sent to the cause he supported so faithfully in his love of animals – “3 Dog Rescue” 228, Spirit Mountain Dr. Cody, WY, 82414.
Condolences can be sent to the family on Bud’s memorial page at BallardFH.com.