Betty Jo Mcdonald

Betty Jo McDonald, 84, of Grants Pass, Oregon passed into the arms of the Lord Sunday, March 4, 2018. She died at her home from complications brought on by dementia.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, April 7, at 12 noon at Jerome Prairie Bible Church with pastors James Downing and Dave Price officiating. There will be a potluck to follow.

Betty was born May 7, 1933, in Redmond, Oregon to Bob and Wanda Bushnell. She grew up in Grants Pass attending grade school at Jerome Prairie and high school at Grants Pass High, graduating in 1951. At 17 she married James McDonald.

Betty was the quintessential homemaker being an avid sewer, baker and cook, not to mention her skill at crafts, calligraphy and gardening. She had a special love for children often baking goodies for the kids in the neighborhood. She also loved animals and had a special fondness for raccoons adopting one, 'Calamity,' as her favorite pet. In her latter years she loved going with her daughter Stacey to exercise with the 'wet heads' at the YMCA.

Betty loved the Lord Jesus Christ and served in the nursery at Jerome Prairie Bible Church. She fought her dementia as long as she could by reading her Bible out loud to her son every morning.

Survivors include her brother, Bobby Bushnell and her sister Kay Sether, both of Grants Pass, her sons Gregg McDonald of Portland, and Eric McDonald of Grants Pass, and her daughter Stacey Shropshire of Grants Pass. She is also survived by four grandchildren Joel Shropshire, Taylor Shropshire, Marisha Tyler and Sharaya Summers. Betty was preceded in death by her father and mother, and her brother Darrell (Bud) Bushnell, her husband James McDonald, and her son Kevin McDonald