Don Franklin McGonigal, of Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas transitioned from this life to an eternal life with a new body with The Lord Jesus Christ on the morning of February 12, 2023 at the age of 77. He was born April 25, 1945 in Alicia, AR, to Ed and Mary McGonigal. Don graduated from Walnut Ridge High School in 1963 and went on to attend Arkansas Tech University where he met his wife, Mary, and earned his Bachelor's Degree in Mathematics. Don was an ROTC Drill Team Commander and a member of the skydiving club. He later served in the United States Army as a Lieutenant in the 522nd Engineer Company at Fort Knox, KY.
After leaving the military, Don moved to Oak Ridge, TN, where he worked as a computer programmer and a systems analyst for Union Carbide and completed his Master's Degree in Computer Science at the University of TN. He later worked at companies such as Texas Instruments and then American General where he retired in 2009. Don and Mary moved to Hot Springs after his retirement where they were active members of Hot Springs Baptist Church.
Don was an avid outdoorsman who loved hunting, fishing, gardening, woodworking, collecting quarters, and telling jokes. For many years, he helped facilitate dance competitions at Pow-Wows for the Native American Indian Association of Middle TN. He volunteered for 7 years at Garvan Woodland Gardens giving guided cart tours for visitors, building and installing bird feeders and feeding the birds, and caring for his buddy George, the peacock. George was often eagerly awaiting Don’s arrival in anticipation of the peanuts he would bring.
Don was preceded in death by his parents, Ed and Mary; two brothers, Darrel McGonigal and Anthony McGonigal; and two sisters, Murlene Lowery and Wanda Davidson.
Survivors include his wife, Mary McGonigal; one son, Steve McGonigal (Lexington, KY); one daughter, Debbie Mannon (Collierville, TN); one sister, Patsy Williams (Nashville, AR); four grandchildren, Amelia McGonigal, David Mannon, Michael Mannon, and Kyle McGonigal; and a large extended family of nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 11, 2023, at Memphis Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens, 3700 North Germantown Parkway, Bartlett, TN 38133. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Garvan Woodland Gardens in Hot Springs, AR (Garvan Woodland Gardens – 550 Arkridge Rd | Hot Springs, AR 71913 (garvangardens.org) or Hot Springs Baptist Church, 144 Weston Road, Hot Springs, AR 71913 (hotspringsbaptist.org).
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.MemphisFuneralGermantownParkway.com for the McGonigal family.
