A native of Bruce County,Ontario, he was born in June, 1894, the son and John A. and Annie Myra McDonald.
It was in Saskatchewan that Judge McDonald got his first taste of the business world. In 1911 he accepted a post as a bookkeeper with a Saskatoon creamery. Later the same year, he became a real estate salesman in Calgary and then a law clerk at High River, Alberta for A.J. Arnold, prior to enrolling at Brandon College in 1912.
Judge McDonald became a speaker and fundraiser for the Manitoba Social Service Council in 1914. He returned to College in 1915. In 1916 he enlisted in the Canadian Army and served overseas in the First World War with the eleventh Canadian Field Ambulance.
He returned to College in 1919 and in 1921 was a student-at-law in the office of Campbell, Moore and Lynd at Estevan. He was admitted to the bar in 1924 and was employed with M.A. Miller, KC. of Weyburn. He was district court judge from 1961 to 1966. He was noted for his service both in legal work and community endeavors.
He married Lillian Perry of Estevan in 1924. They had one daughter Lillian Marie.
Mr. McDonald passed away in Regina in 1971 at the age of seventy-eight years. His wife Lillian passed away in Regina in April, 1970.