Gary Findley McDonald, age 65, passed away on Saturday, August 31, 2019 in Kanab, Utah after a difficult battle with cancer. Gary was born on October 6, 1953 in Kanab, Utah to Findley and Maxine McDonald, he was the fourth of five children. Growing up he learned the importance of family and hard work, as he spent many summers working the family ranch near Alton.

After graduating from Kanab High School Gary joined the United States Marine Corp where he served his country proudly for two years during the Vietnam War. Shortly after he met the love of his life, Leann Tait, the two were married July, 27 1974 in Orderville, UT.

At this time, he was working with his father and brothers running FR McDonald and Sons, a heavy machinery and contracting business in southern Utah. He continued working with his brothers, creating McDonald Brothers Custom Log Homes. The brothers worked everyday together logging on Cedar Mountain, milling lumber, and building custom log homes all over southern Utah. Along the way the brothers opened and operated McDonald Lumber and Hardware on the east end of Kanab. Eventually he created McDonald Contracting, a full fledged general contracting company. His operations branched out into Nevada and Arizona, where he focused primarily on commercial construction. In 1994, Gary and Leann, started a brand-new venture opening a Mexican food restaurant in Kanab, Taco Time. Ultimately, the restaurant business was not for them and they returned their efforts back to contracting.  McDonald contracting continued working in and around Kanab as his sons grew up and worked alongside Gary, learning from his expertise and experiences in the business.

The greatest accomplishments of his life are the family relationships he nurtured over the years of his life. He worked non-stop his whole life beside his father, brothers, and sons. If Gary wasn’t on the jobsite, he could be found out in the hills with his family. They spent many weekends hunting arrowheads, cutting wood, cooking dutch oven dinner, or our spotlighting all night. He was a central force in keeping his family together and united in work and play. He and Leann had four boys; Preston (Katy), Thomas (Andrea), Chris (Whitney), and Micheal (1983-2000). He has 10 grandchildren and two great grand-children on the way.

Funeral services were held Wednesday September 4, 2019 at 11:00 AM in the Kanab Utah South Chapel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Gary was buried next to his youngest son Micheal, who preceded him in death at the Kanab Cemetery. Arrangements were made with Mosdell Mortuary.