Ralph Owen McDonald was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana on June 14, 1916 to Walter H. and K. Louise Corrigan McDonald. He and his family lived in Indiana, Kansas, Michigan and Wisconsin before moving to Minneapolis, Minnesota. Ralph attended the University of Wisconsin for a year before transferring to the University of Minnesota, where he received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering in 1938. On June 16, 1939, he married Shirley St. Clair in Minneapolis. He was employed by Paper Calmenson and Company for 48 years, before retiring. Upon retirement he did volunteer work with mentally handicapped and other charitable organizations, from which he received many citations and recognition awards. Ralph and Shirley moved to the Mayflower in 1991 and continued to do volunteer work. He was a member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, past treasurer of Mayflower Residence Association, and implementer of the Shop 'n' Share program. Ralph also negotiated with a local grocery store to pay a percentage of receipts received from employees and residents to the Human Needs Endowment Fund. This program will continue in his memory. Ralph is survived by his daughter, Merideth Settje of Pleasant Hill, California; two grandchildren, Steven Bolewine and Kelly Villalpando; four great grandchildren, Laura Bolewine, Danielle Villalpando, Jacob Villalpando and Bethany Villalpando; and one sister Helen Bachtle of Stevens Point, Wisconsin. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife Shirley in 2002; one son, Lee Howard McDonald; one grandson, Anthony Owen Bolewine; and his brother, Walter McDonald.