Norman “Mac” MacDonald

Anchorage resident Norman “Mac” Alexander MacDonald, 93, died July 5, 2008 at the Palmer Veterans and Pioneers Home in Palmer.

A celebration of life will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 15 at the Palmer Veterans and Pioneers Home. Services will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 16 at the Palmer Elks Lodge 1842, 2600 N. Barry’s Resort Drive in Wasilla. Burial will be at noon Thursday, July 18 at Bayview Cemetery in Ketchikan and will be conducted by the Ketchikan American Legion.

MacDonald was born July 18, 1914, in Fort George, British Columbia, Canada, and moved with his family to Ketchikan in 1921. He graduated from Ketchikan High School in 1933. He relocated to Palmer in 2007 to be near his daughter and her family.

He was a shipwright, trained in Ketchikan, and worked more than 50 years in his field.

He loved the bagpipes. In 1976, he and his wife, Norma, brought the Keith Highlanders up for the Fourth of July. That tradition continued for many years, thanks to businesses in Ketchikan.

His family wrote: “Mac was gentle and kind. He was an honest businessman and true craftsman. He was a mentor and inspiration to those who knew him. He was most hospitable to anyone dropping by to visit. He was most well known for his daily ‘Cocktail Hour’ at 4 o’clock, where friends (old and new) would gather. He will be greatly missed.”

MacDonald is survived by his daughter and son in-law Mariann and Michael Malone of Wasilla; grandchildren Patrick and Timothy Malone, Cassandra and Stephanie Keyes, Deborah MacDonald, Wende Thompson and Scott Davis; great-grandchildren Aurora Malone, and Jeffery and Richard Domenichelli; nephews and nieces Larry and Julia, Donald and Tracy, and Kaaren Kubley, Toni McGraw and Gerry Helland. He was preceded in death by his wife, Norma.

Memorial donations may be made to Palmer Elks Lodge 1842 Charities Fund, 2600 N. Barry’s Resort Drive, Palmer 99645.

Arrangements were with Kehl’s Palmer Mortuary.