Dr. Robert (Bob) Sidney McDonald, 86, of Billings passed away on July 9, 2018 at his home after a courageous ten year battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Bob was born in Big Timber, MT on August 9, 1931 and was the son of Andy and Mary (Taylor) McDonald. Bob graduated from Sweet Grass County High School in 1949 and enlisted in the United States Navy that same year.
He served for four years as a dental tech on the USS Nereus submarine tender stationed out of Camp Pendleton in San Diego,… Read More » CA. Bob was honorably discharged in 1953. Bob then enrolled at the University of Montana (GO GRIZ!
) in Missoula, MT that fall to complete his undergraduate degree. In the fall of 1955 Bob asked Joyce Hauge out for a root beer and they were married in March of 1956 in the Big Timber Lutheran Church. They returned to Missoula where they resided until the fall of 1957.
Bob and Joyce then moved to Dallas, TX where Bob started dental school at Baylor University. They lived in Dallas until Bob’s graduation in 1961. Bob and Joyce then moved to Hardin, MT where Bob bought an existing dental practice.
He and Joyce and their two children, Lynda and Todd, lived there until 1972. The family then moved to Billings and Bob, along with seven fellow dentists, started Plaza West Dental Group where he practiced for the next 24 years. During his career, Bob was both Vice-President and President of the Ninth District Dental Society.
Bob retired from dentistry in 1996. He always enjoyed running into his patients outside of work. He then became a member of the Billings Golden K Kiwanis and was active in his roles as Chairman of the BUG (Bring Up Grades) Program and coordinator of weekly programs for their meetings.
Two of Bob’s favorite Kiwanis activities were Peanut Day and the Pancake Breakfast. He looked forward to these each year. Bob also enjoyed bird hunting, fly fishing (“drowning a fly”) on the Boulder River and spending time at the family’s cabins outside of Big Timber.
He also enjoyed watching thunderstorms while sitting in an aluminum lawn chair in the garage and also listening to the rain fall as it fell on the roof of his Rancho El Ray camper. It was the simple things that meant the most. Bob is survived by his wife Joyce, daughter and son-in-law Lynda and Russ Lockrem, grandson Garrett, granddaughter Jordan all of Portland, OR and his son Todd and granddaughter Samantha of Billings.
He is also survived by his sister Mary Ann (Rick) Gourley of Great Falls, MT, his brother Dick (Doris) McDonald of Camas, WA, brothers-in-law Jerry (Jan) Hauge and Ron (Lanna) Hauge all of Big Timber, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. A celebration of his life will be held 10:00 am Saturday July 21, 2018 at the First United Methodist Church in Billings with reception following. Graveside services will follow at 3:30pm at Mountain View Cemetery in Big Timber.
The family would like extend their heartfelt appreciation to Bob’s personal caregiver Danielle Harrison for her dedication and attentiveness to Bob’s needs over the past year and a half as he fought Alzheimer’s. The family would also like to thank Senior Independence Hospice for their nursing and pastoral care during the last months of Bob’s life. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Walk 2 End Alzheimer’s in care of Team Bob’s Buds ( http://act.
alz.org/goto/bobsbudsteampage ) or Billings Golden K Kiwanis. We love and will miss you and you will remain in our hearts forever. For we walk by faith, not by sight.
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