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Jack MacDonald, Class of 1991, passed away on July 28, 2019. Jack left his mark on the Chicago Architecture Foundation and the docent program. He was a member of Docent Council for 14 years and served as secretary for 13; he received a Docent Service Award in 1998, and was honored with the Outstanding Docent Achievement Award in 2004.

Donna Gabanski notes, “[Jack] was member of the Education committee for many years. He mentored many docents as a sponsor and certifier…He was a tour director for the Harrington School of Design tour when their home was the Fine Arts Building. You would often meet Jack at cultural events and he attended lectures, classes, and gatherings at CAF. He was a great friend to many of us. ” Jane Buckwalter remembers, “He was  truly a gentle man. Always positive, never negative. When he no longer gave tours, he still came to many lectures and docent programs.”

The entire CAC docent/volunteer/staff community mourns his passing.

Here is a letter Lynn Osmond received from Jack’s daughter:

It is with a heavy heart that I am writing to let you know that Jack died early Sunday morning. His passing was quiet and peaceful. In keeping with his wishes, there will be no services.

There are so many things I will always remember about my father, especially that his family was the most important part of his life. He and my mother raised my younger brother, Jim, and me and always encouraged us by example. Family vacations were always special as we explored, by car, with two squabbling kids in the back seat (and no air conditioning), different parts of the country.

Jack was a high school track star, an Eagle Scout, a soda jerk, and a sousaphone player. At Purdue University, he studied chemical engineering and sang in the Glee Club. And, he served in the Navy as an Officer at the end of World War II.

My mother was his high school sweetheart whom he married in 1948. Jim and I came along not long after. I never let Jim forget I was the elder sibling.

Jack spent his entire working life as a chemical engineer at the same company, with evolving names: Standard Oil of Indiana, Amoco, and, finally, BP.

He played the piano, sang in the church choir, and took pipe organ lessons. He accompanied Christine on the piano at flute competitions. He sang with the Elmhurst Choral Union, which Jim conducted.

Once Jim and I were off to college, Jack and Phyllis moved to Chicago, to the South Loop when it wasn’t yet called that. Jack was initially reluctant to move but thrived in the city.

Sadly, Phyllis died in 1983. Jack made a life for himself but never totally got over her death.
After he retired, Jack became a very active volunteer as a researcher at the Field Museum of Natural History and at the Chicago Architecture Foundation where he was a docent and on the Docent Council.

He traveled to every continent. He participated in archaeological digs in Virginia, Ohio, and New Mexico. He especially remembered his trips to Papua New Guinea with Field Museum staff. He and Jim visited many Civil War battlegrounds together and he went with Malcolm and me to China.

Three years ago, he suffered the death of his son.

In so many ways, he made the most of his life. He was a great example for me and I will always miss him.

Rest in peace daddy, father, Jack.