Obituary of Thomas Edwin McDonough

Thomas E. McDonough, Jr. of Vilas, died June 9, 2017. Born April 2, 1931 in Richmond, Kentucky, he was the son of Thomas E. McDonough and Ophelia Jakes McDonough. Thomas graduated from Druid Hills High School in Atlanta, GA in 1948 where he won many honors as a swimmer throughout the southeast. He earned the rank of Eagle Scout while in high school. He attended Emory University and was on the varsity swim team all four years; he also swam in the HavAtlanta games in 1948 and 1949. He was elected to the Emory E club for those earning athletic letters each year and was elected to the honorary leadership organization ODK. Thomas was also a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education in 1953. He earned his Master of Arts and Sciences degree from Emory University in 1960. In 1950 Thomas enlisted in the United States Naval Aviation service. One year after graduating from Emory University he accepted a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps Reserve and spent three years on active duty. Mr. McDonough enjoyed a career in the field of education as a teacher and administrator in Georgia and Florida. After 18 years in the field, he enrolled in Caldwell Community College and graduated with a degree in Radiological Sciences. He became Director of Allied Health Sciences at Griffin Technical Institute in Griffin, GA in 1983 and retired from the Institute as Special Assistant to the President in 1996. Thomas returned to the Boone area and settled in Willow Valley in 1996. He went back to work at Mast General Store until finally retiring for good in March 2015. While in retirement Thomas shared with his wife honors as Outstanding Volunteers from the American Lung Association, The American Heart Association, the North Carolina Branch of the International Dyslexia Association and from the International Dyslexia Association where he was volunteer Branch Services Coordinator for the United States. Thomas was an active member of the Church of the Holy Cross, Valle Crucis and former member of several parishes in Conyers and McDonough GA and St. Lukes, Boone, Parish of the Holy Communion, Ashe County. He served on the Vestry and as Senior Warden in six of the seven parishes of which he was a member. Tom served in several capacities on the Diocese of Western North Carolina and was selected for the Outstanding Service Award in 2014. Thomas met his wife, Claire Tompkins McDonough while at Emory and they were married in 1953 upon their graduation. Thomas is survived by his wife Claire; two daughters and two sons: Linda Ree McDonough, of Chapel Hill, NC., Scott Edwin McDonough of Boone, Randall Blaine McDonough and wife Andrea of Boone, NC., and Leslie Claire McDonough Sharpe and husband Scott of Cary, NC.; grandchildren Brett McDonough and wife Meredith of Greensboro, NC., Lindsay Williams of Cary NC., Thomas McDonough and wife Allison of Boone, NC., Molly Stein-Seroussi and husband Garrett of Hillsborough, NC, Josh Sharpe of Asheville, NC, and Brianna McDonough of Chapel Hill, NC. He is also survived by his brother Robert Jakes McDonough and wife Lisa of Decatur, Georgia. Memorial services for Tom will be held at Holy Cross Episcopal Church in Valle Crucis on Saturday, June 17, 2017 at 11:00 AM. The family respectfully requests no flowers and suggests memorials to Holy Cross Episcopal Church, P.O. box 645, Valle Crucis, NC 28691 and Health and Hunger Coalition of Boone, at www.hungerandhealthcoalition.com. Online condolences may be shared with the McDonough family at www.austinandbarnesfuneralhome.com Austin & Barnes Funeral Home & Crematory is serving the McDonough family.