Joseph Edwin Rogers McDonald

Joseph Edwin Rogers McDonald, age 75 was born July 8, 1948, and died Oct 7, 2023. He was born in Edmonton, Kentucky at the home of his grandparents, Joe, and Lasca Martin, to his parents, Thomas Edwin McDonald, and Betty Jo Martin. He was the second child of four. He graduated from Metcalfe County High School in 1966, later attending Campbellsville College where he met his wife of 56 years in an English class. Joe and Priscilla VanHook were married on March 11, 1967, at the home of her grandmother, Ruth Corum. They have two children, John Rogers McDonald, and Patrick Dean McDonald.

Joe served with the Kentucky State Police from 1968 to 1998 where he served at Post 10, and Post 11, retiring as an investigative lieutenant of detectives at Bowling Green Post 3. During his service, he worked as a range officer and was a member of the State Police Pistol Team.

He was a 32nd-degree Master Mason and was currently an active member of the Edmonton Masonic Lodge #931, where he was serving as Master of the Lodge, which he did on two occasions. He was Master of Hiseville Lodge in 2009 and in 2002 he was Master at Bear Wallow Lodge #231. He was also a member of James F. Keel Lodge #320. He served in various leadership positions at these three lodges during this time. In 2008, he served as District Deputy Grand Master. In addition to being a Master Mason, he was a Scottish Rite Mason and a Shriner.

He was an avid upland bird hunter, spending a large portion of the winter months quail hunting with his German Shorthair Pointers across numerous states including his favorite location, Hays, Kansas. Through this love of quail hunting, he became active in conservation, working tirelessly to protect and develop habitat for quail and other wildlife. He served as president of the South-Central Kentucky Chapter of Quail Forever and Quail Unlimited. He was appointed Kentucky State President of Quail Unlimited. One of his major accomplishments was initiating efforts to develop Kentucky’s quail license plate, which to date has funded the improvement of thousands of acres of upland bird habitat across Kentucky’s 120 counties.

Over the past 10 years, Joe and Priscilla have traveled extensively in their RV across the western United States. They visited parks and national forests where he fulfilled his second passion, fly-fishing for trout. During this time, he fly-fished in 161 rivers from the Carolinas to California.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Thomas Edwin and Betty Jo McDonald; his older brother, David McDonald; and brothers-in-law, Tommy Shirley and Stacey Bowles. He is survived by his wife, Priscilla Dean McDonald; two sons, John Rogers McDonald (Lexi), Patrick Dean McDonald (Alison); grandchildren, Emily McDonald (Artur), Ross McDonald, Reed McDonald, Millicent McDonald; and two sisters, Kathy Shirley and Betsy Bowles.

Services are scheduled at Edmonton (Kentucky) Masonic Lodge 931 with visitation on Wednesday from 1:00 PM to 7:00 PM CST and Thursday from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM CST. A Masonic funeral will commence on Thursday, October 11, 2023, at 1:00 PM CST. Honorary pallbearers are Nick Stephens, Richard Hines, Steve Stevens, Stan Allen, Jeff Compton, Ed Peveler, and Jody Curry. Jessie-Wilson Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Trooper Island, a Kentucky youth camp operated by the Kentucky State Police. Donations can be made online or mailed to: Trooper Island, INC., ℅ Kentucky State Police, 919 Versailles Rd, Frankfort, KY 40601