The McDonalds: A Legacy of Firsts in Groesbeck

***Reporter’s Note: This week’s local history spotlight will be different than usual. After getting the opportunity to speak with a long-time resident of Groesbeck about her family’s accomplishments here, I decided to see what I could find about them in the archives.

While exploring the archives for these weekly stories, I have come to recognize quite a few last names that appear consistently throughout—families who have lived here for generations and are deeply intertwined with the local history.
Recently, I chatted with Francine Hobbs, a member of one such long-established family. She explained that her father, Walter McDonald, was the first Black house painter in Groesbeck and had painted most of the homes here at one point or another. Her brother, Don McDonald, was the first Black man to work for the local telephone company, and her other brother, William McDonald, was one of the first Black students to integrate and the first Black pianist for the Red Stocking Follies. This led me to dig through the archives to see what I could find recorded about these men.
Walter McDonald was born Dec. 15, 1922, to Fate and Delah (Davis) McDonald. He attended Blackshear High School and joined the military during WWII. He married Lovie Matthew in October 1949 and had four children: two daughters, two sons, and two stepsons. He was a certified electrician who also offered house painting, both indoor and outdoor, and other contract work. McDonald had regularly scheduled ads in the Journal advertising his work and was recognized in the paper for his contribution to painting most of the baseball facilities in April 1970. He passed away on June 30, 1979, at 57 years old.
Don McDonald was born July 22, 1951. He graduated from Groesbeck High School in 1969 as part of the first integrated class. After high school, he joined the Army and served two tours in Vietnam. He then attended Baylor University, graduating with a degree in journalism in 1975. McDonald began working at CenturyLink in 1980 and was a volunteer fireman for many years
William McDonald was born April 28, 1953. He played saxophone with the GHS Jazz Band for the Red Stocking Follies performances of 1971. McDonald was a jazz band member all four years of high school, went to the UIL Solo Contest for three years, and received two first-division ratings on saxophone and a first-division rating for piano in his junior year. He was a section leader for two years, a line officer for two years, and made All-State on piano in 1969.
He graduated with the class of 1971 and received the Minnie Maffett scholarship and a music scholarship. He was a member of the National Guild of Piano Teachers and the International Piano Guild. He received his associate of arts and general education from Navarro College with a focus on piano performance and choral music. He continued to study piano performance at Baylor and transferred to UT Arlington to continue studying music with a focus on piano performance and choral music. During the summers, he gave piano, voice, and music theory lessons in Groesbeck. During that time, he also received his Texas Teacher Certification in Secondary Music. McDonald taught music at Groesbeck ISD in multiple capacities for several years. He began graduate studies in 1982 while working and performing, completing his Master of Music and Education degree at The University of Texas at Austin. He pursued post-graduate studies at The University of North Texas, Denton, in Secondary Mid-Management School Administration. He also received a Certificate in Piano for Advanced Teaching and participated in Master Classes. He was a member of the Texas State Teachers Association, and the Texas Choral Directors Association, and later studied Human Resources Management, where he received his certificates at the Universities Center at Dallas. William received certificates of appreciation and trophies for his service as Minister of Music and musician (organist and pianist) from churches and organizations in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. He passed away in 2003.

Is your family a long-time resident of Groesbeck or the surrounding area? Do you know of any events involving your family that might have been reported on in the paper? Send an email to news@greosbeckjournal.com or come by the office. I’d love to dive into the archives and see what I can find.