Lucille E. McDonald

Lucile McDonald, 86, a long-time resident of Niceville, Florida, was reunited with the love of her life, Charles “Charlie” C. McDonald (General, USAF, Ret.), on Jan 15, 2022. The youngest of five children, Lucile was born to Fred and Esther Lemke on Jan 26, 1935, in Barron, WI.

Charlie, a friend of Lucile’s older brothers, would often visit the Lemke house, and before long, Lucile and Charlie were playing footsie under the table while playing cards. Lucile and Charlie married in Aug 1956 after Charlie graduated from the University of Wisconsin at Superior and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force. Shortly after daughter Judy was born in May 1957, Charlie and Lucile moved the family to San Angelo, TX where Charlie completed his pilot training at Goodfellow AFB. Son Mike was born two years later while the family was stationed at McConnell AFB, KS. Subsequent moves included assignments at Mountain Home AFB, ID; Grand Forks AFB, ND; Ramey AFB, Puerto Rico; Offutt AFB, ND; the Pentagon, VA; Ellsworth AFB SD; Mather AFB, CA; March AFB, CA; Hill AFB, UT; and finally, Wright Patterson AFB, OH. Charlie and Lucile felt blessed by the many friends they made at each location.

Lucile’s 35-year career as a military spouse ended when Charlie retired from active duty in 1992. They moved to Florida and called Niceville home for the next 25 years—embracing the community they found at St. Paul Lutheran Church. When Charlie lost both legs in 2002 due to a bacterial infection, Lucile’s faith in both God and Charlie helped get the two of them through the darkest days. After Charlie passed away in 2017, Lucile moved to Troutman, NC and then to Charlottesville, VA.

In her spare time, Lucile loved sailing and traveling with Charlie, singing in the church choir, and playing tennis and bridge—two hobbies where her competitive spirit shined.

Lucile is survived by her children, Judy Smidt (Ron) and Michael McDonald; four grandchildren: Jennifer Smartt (Matt Hasty), Heather Smidt (Nick Zagami), Lauren Harrell (Ronnie), and Sean McDonald; and four great-grandchildren: Evan Smartt, Charlotte “Charlie” Hasty, Ronan Zagami, and Timothy Harrell. They will all miss her dearly.

She was preceded in death by her beloved Charlie; her parents; her brothers Harold, Lyle, and Alvin; and her sister, Irene.

Services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 11, from St. Paul Lutheran Church, Niceville, with a 2 p.m. burial at Barrancas National Cemetery, Pensacola, Fla.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Lucile’s honor can be made to St. Paul Lutheran Church in Niceville FL, or the Center for Acute Hospice Care in Charlottesville, VA.

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