Late Sailor Remembered As Family Man Devoted To The Navy

WILMINGTON, MA — Kenneth Edward MacDonald, Jr. loved the navy. He joined in 1995, directly out of high school, following in the footsteps of his grandfather, who he idolized. He remained in the service for the rest of his life, rising to the rank of master chief petty officer, the highest enlisted rank in the navy. On Nov. 24, MacDonald died suddenly of a heart attack, at the age of 41.

MacDonald was born in Winchester in 1977, and moved around the Boston area, before coming to Wilmington to live with his grandparents during high school. After enlisting, he lived around the country and the world, including three deployments, two to Kuwait and one to Iraq. He met his wife Meaghan as a young sailor in Newport News, Va., and they had two kids, Lorelai, 12, and Jason, 5. Most recently, after a posting in Groton, Conn., the family was moved to Hampton, Va., where MacDonald died.

Flags across Massachusetts flew at half staff, Tuesday, in MacDonald's honor.

According to his younger sister, Amy MacDonald of Wilmington, MacDonald would have stayed in the navy for the rest of his working life.

"He was a lifer in the navy. He absolutely adored it," she said.

But he was also devoted to his family, his sister said. Despite MacDonald's wife's joke that the navy was his wife and she was his mistress, Amy said, "he was such a family man."

"One of the happiest days of his life was the day he became a father," Amy said. "He had the best relationship with his kids."

He had always been a caring person, Amy said. As a kid, he would step in if another kid was being bullied, and say, "That's not right," she said.

"If he saw anyone struggling to do anything, he would help out," she continued.

The MacDonald family loved to camp, which Kenneth carried into his adult life, camping with his family. He also loved to play video games, including with his kids, Amy said. And he went to every one of his daughter's soccer, lacrosse and basketball games.

In high school, MacDonald himself wrestled and played football, and was co-captain of the football team his senior year. He loved the Patriots.

"One of the highlights of his navy year was when he actually got to hold the flag at Gillette," Amy said. "He was elated."

But he loved every aspect of the service, she said. His last deployment ended 2010, and in recent years, MacDonald enjoyed training new people, his sister said.

"He loved the water too, every aspect of it" she said. "Being out on these smaller boats, doing patrols. He loved all that."

Early on, when living in Virginia, MacDonald worked as a bartender at Cozzy's Comedy Club to make some extra money, according to his sister. After he died, the club held a memorial service for him, she said.

"He worked there for 8 years, and had a huge impact on a lot of people's lives. [People] from the owner all the way down to some former customers who were regulars came to the memorial service," Amy said.

Amy also expressed appreciation for Lou Cimiglia, Wilmington's director of veteran services, who arranged for local veterans to line the streets as his motorcade came from the airport to the Nichols Funeral Home,

"It's just so touching ... for someone who's been gone so long, to welcome him home," Amy said. "I know my brother would be proud of the homecoming that he had."

From the Nichols Funeral Home obituary:

Ken will be remembered by his devoted wife of over 12 years, Meaghan (Slavens) MacDonald of Hampton, VA; and his two beautiful children Lorelai and Jason. Ken is also survived by his three younger sisters Amy MacDonald of Wilmington, MA; Crystal (MacDonald) Sullivan of Avon, MA; Gail Ann (Nee) Belcher and husband James of Taunton, MA. Ken was the beloved uncle of Camden Coleman of Herndon, VA and Adalynn Belcher of Taunton, MA. Predeceased by his father Kenneth E. Macdonald, Sr. Ken was the cherished oldest grandson to the late Robert and Joanna (Nee) Matthews formerly of Wilmington, MA as well as Edward Macdonald of Palm Harbor, FL and Constance (Miller) Macdonald of Billerica, MA. Michael and Marsha Slavens of Waco, TX and their family welcomed him into their family when he married their daughter, Meaghan. Many cousins, aunts and uncles, friends and fellow Sailors will forever miss Ken. All who knew him loved him and will forever keep him in our thoughts and hearts.

Memorial donations in Ken’s name may be made to the MacDonald Children Donation Fund, c/o Wells Fargo Bank, 2 Victory Blvd., Poquoson, VA 23662.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or [email protected].