Mr. Earl Millard McDonald Jr.

June 4, 1950 - February 26, 2020

Avid boater, prolific fisherman, retired sea captain Earl Millard McDonald, Jr., dropped his final anchor with the passing of his life February 26, 2020 in Magnolia Springs off the Magnolia River. Son of surviving father Earl Millard McDonald and deceased mother Dorothy Lorraine Mooney McDonald, Earl was schooled at Saint Joan or Arc, McGill Institute, graduating from Murphy High School class of 1968. He attended Marion Institute, and received a degree in journalism from the University of Alabama where he was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon. After backpacking throughout Central and South America, Europe and some of the Middle East, Earl finished his degree, then worked with friends in Destin, and eventually began working on oil rig supply boats in the Gulf of Mexico. After working his way up to captain, he commanded ships in the South America trade then moved north braving the seas of the Gulf of Alaska, Bering Sea and the North Pacific Ocean as captain of a massive seafood processing ship. Through the Port of New York he serviced supertankers in the Atlantic Ocean and received an award from the City of New York for his efforts of evacuation during 911. As captained of an oil rig dive service ship in the Gulf of Mexico, he retired. His career as a sea captain again took him around the world. Along the seaway throughout his life, his hobby of fishing proliferated and his love of reading pursued. He truly worked like a captain and with his anti-establishment mindset he lived life, somewhat like a pirate. Yes, his anchors were always tight, his corks loose with his rums spiced, but aside the sea and his reading, Earl’s prominent compass was his love of his surviving family and dear friends: Patty Kinney his girlfriend, his father, brother and sister in law William Lee and Kathy McDonald, niece Jessica Alneta McDonald, aunt and uncle Vivian ‘Cookie’ Mooney Rich and David Raymond Rich, cousins who were like his sisters Ashley Mooney Rich and Janet Lee Rich Pittman, their husbands Ritchie Cole Hurt and Craig Sorrell Pittman, nephew Ryan Cole Hurt and niece Madelyn Dorothy Hurt, best and dearest friend Dr. Stephen Parden and so many friends. He never met a stranger. Visitation will be at Pine Rest Funeral Home Magnolia Springs 9am Tuesday March 10, 2020 preceding a brief chapel service at 10am. Interment will be at Pine Rest Cemetery. Family and friends will gather after the interment for a celebration of his life. As the sea has cast its spell on Earl, may it hold him dear forever.