Obituary of Yvonne Owens McDonald

Memorial services for Mary Yvonne Owens McDonald, 76, of Troup, will be at 2:00 pm, Saturday, September 16, 2017 at the First United Methodist Church of Troup with Reverend Bates Richmond and Reverend Wade Harman officiatin. Arrangements are under direction of Cottle Funeral Home.

Yvonne went to be with her Heavenly Father Sunday, August 27, 2017 in Troup. She was born in Waxahachie, at home to Edward Travis Owens and Bonnie Merle Nagel Owens. Yvonne attended Hillcrest High School and graduated in 1959 from W. H. Adamson. She worked at Baylor & Presbyterian Hospitals in admitting. She also worked at Titches as an addressograph operator.

Her first date with the love of her life, George McDonald, was in August of 1960 at the drive in. They were married by October 1, 1960 and quickly began their family.  Yvonne gave birth to four children in four years (no twins)! In the late 1960’s the family moved to Duncanville where Yvonne was active in the Jaycettes, Wagon Wheel Riding Club, and the First Christian Church of Duncanville. Later that year the family moved to Garland.

The 1970’s was an exciting time for Yvonne as her solo gospel career was blooming and she was a regular on the 700 Club. In 1976, Yvonne was asked to sing in Washington, D. C. at the BI-Centennial at the base of the Washington Monument. Yvonne traveled with her family all over. She was the featured singer at many gospel conventions and churches. She shared the stage with notables such as, The Happy Goodmans, Jimmy Swaggart, Big John Hall & Francine Morrison, Kathryn Kuhlman, Skip Fletcher, and John Osteen. In 1978 George and Yvonne began square dancing till 1984. They were NORTEX V.P.’s as well as President of Circle R.

Yvonne loved playing bingo, water coloring, singing karaoke, dancing, writing music, and telling perfect strangers her life story. She loved her Lord, her husband, her family, and friends. She will be greatly missed for her laugh, her sense of humor, and her zest for life.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Edward Travis Owens and Bonnie Merle Nagel Owens, sister, Janice Fay Owens Schmitt, and her daughter, Shelli Annette McDonald.

Survivors include her husband, George William McDonald of Troup; two daughters, D’ McDonald Bramlett & husband Mike of Garland, and Robyn McDonald Nakonechnyj & husband Tony of Tarpon Springs, Florida; son, Gary Wayne McDonald of Athens; brother, Dennis Lee Owens & wife Tamar of Staten Island, New York; three grandchildren, Nickolas Nakonechnyj of San Dimas, California, Robert Nakonechnyj of Tarpon Springs, Florida, and Drew Bramlett & wife Gretchen of Irving; as well as many nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews, other relatives and friends.

In lieu of flowers, the family request that donations be made to Henderson County Performing Arts Center, 400 Gibson Rd, Athens, TX 75751.