Gary McDonald, age 72 of Souris, passed away on Saturday, September 2, 2023 at a Bottineau hospital.  A private family service will be held.

Gary McDonald, son of Helen (Patterson) and Wally McDonald was the fourth of seven children, each having graduated from Souris Public School. Seems he was born with a ball in his hand, whether, baseball, basketball, or golf and during his sophomore year, 1967, was named to the District's All Star basketball team. Gary considered this a rather unique honor as his brother Reggie; a senior, was also so honored. Upon graduation, Gary attended Minot State College and was a member of their Junior Varsity basketball team as a freshman. In and out of college for three years with one year of employment in Chicago, Gary realized he wanted to pursue life in the NBA thinking if Phil Jackson could make it why not another North Dakotan enjoying the NBA life style. You might recall that Phil Jackson played for the New York Knicks and married a Souris girl, Maxine Monkman, who graduated from Souris four years before Gary.

But then he woke from a deep delirious dream and realized he had accepted enrollment in a managerial program with Cargill Incorporated in Minot. So much for the NBA, but this excited him as he always wanted to travel the country and Cargill provided that as Gary moved from Cargill in Minot to Carrington (128 miles), then Dickinson (240 miles), as Asst. Manager in both locations and finally as manager in Buffalo (257 miles), as well as in Oaks (84 miles) were he retired. So you see . . . Gary did get to travel a total of 709 miles between locations of employment. In reality though, he really didn't miss traveling as softball, golf and his dogs became his significant others.

Some years later, with his mobility declining, Gary chose to move back to Souris where a couple of brothers were still living. So in 2006 he purchased his current home. Always being an Elevator Guy, he of course ended up purchasing his home from the Bottineau Farmers Elevator. Gary's recent activities have been much quieter and are centered round a myriad of news sites and virtually all professional sports: go Vikings, Twins, Yankees, Timberwolves and of course whoever is on the PGA Leaderboard. As Gary liked to say, "thank god for large screen TV's and computers."

Gary was preceded in death by his mother, Helen (1982), his father Wally (2004) and his brother Reggie (1998). Gary is survived by his brothers Guy (Bismarck), Marly and his wife Sheila (West Fargo), Kevin and his wife Tammy (Souris) and Terry and fiancée Cindy, (Souris), as well as one sister, Tamara Deschamp (Minot) and several nieces and nephews.

Arrangements were with Nero Funeral Home in Bottineau.  Friends may sign the online register book at www.nerofuneralhome.net.