Passages: Former First Colony/Longhorn Coach Jay McDonald, 52

WIMBERLEY, Texas, October 14. JAY McDonald, 52, from Wimberley, Texas passed away on Saturday, October 10. He died having a heart attack while playing tennis.

McDonald began coaching swimming in the late 1970s at the Woodway Country Club in Connecticut. He was the dynamic age-group coach for the City of Plano team from 1978 to 1982, then served as Head Coach of the First Colony team in Houston and about 1983 served as Head Age-Group Coach for Longhorn Aquatics. McDonald was also very active in coaching Masters swimmers and touched swimmers of every age with his enthusiasm for the sport and love of people. He left coaching to move his family to Wimberley, Texas where he could devote more time to his family living in a small town.

At the 1998 SCY Nationals in Austin, McDonald swam a 27.39 in the 50 breaststroke, setting a new Masters National Record for age 50-54.

McDonald is survived by his wife Laurie, 5 children and many, many friends.

Jay McDonald's Funeral Services are Saturday October 17 at 11:26 am in Wimberley, Texas at Cypress Creek Church on 211 Stillwater.

For more information, contact the church via http://www.cypresscreekchurch.com or by phone (512) 847-1222.

Jay's Life Celebration Reception will follow the service at the church.

Donations can be made in lieu of flowers to the "Timothy Foundation." One of many creations of Jay McDonald to help kids. (Information is on the church web site.)

There will also be a "Celebration of Jay McDonald's Life" in Hamden, Connecticut. For more information go to Facebook page, "The Friends of Jay McDonald." cards & letters to Laurie McDonald 14 Overbrook Ct Wimberley, TX 78676

Rutgers coach Chuck Warner wrote the following article about Jay McDonald, and sent it to Swimming World to present to our readership.

Learning, Laughing and Loving with Jay McDonald
One of the great people of this life for me has been Jay McDonald. Jay displayed all the actions of being a brother in our family and a son to my dad. At our wedding the speakers were my dad, Kate's mom and Jay. He is special beyond description, but here's a short effort toward that end.

I hadn't talked with Jay in twelve years until this summer. In late June, I decided to fly to Austin at the last minute for coaching friend Richard Quick's funeral. I called Jay to see if he was available for dinner that Thursday night, my lone night there. In a half a day he returned my call, "Sorry I didn't get your call last night but I was flying back from Panama. Dinner? No way! I'll pick you up at the airport, drop you off when you leave and you've got to stay at our house." I arrived in Austin Thursday afternoon and the learning, laughing and loving lessons of Jay McDonald continued in my life, but also brought forth 12 years of catch-up.

We drove to all his first homes in Austin, the pools he had coached at and along the way got a nearly complete update on his life in Texas. Sometimes we learned but mostly there was the deep McDonald laugh and joy. On the way to UT swim practice we were talking about how different mutual friends were doing and when Bob Carbone's life came up Jay hit speed dial and handed me the phone. There was Bob and I back chatting and catching up after 30 years of separation. Oh, Jay could bring people together. We met Terry for dinner and it was the first time in about 20 years I saw Terry order a beer…Jay has always had a magical way about him. That night at the McDonald house witnessing the love and respect between he, his kids, and his wife Lori, was like going back in the ‘womb.' It was such a deeply joyous atmosphere of comfort and love that I stayed up nearly all night consider how the McDonald family had become this incredible entity.

The next day, on the way to the airport from Richard's funeral and reception Jay said to me, "Chuck I've got to start coaching again." Jay was one of the greatest swim coaches I've ever seen: charismatic, engaging, with the most astute of people skills. He had given up coaching to be a more devoted husband and father. "I look at what Richard has accomplished and all those kids here that he's influenced," Jay said. My quick an easy response: "Jay look what you've accomplished. It's everything Richard could have ever dreamed of with the creation of an incredible family."

There is the dilemma for many of us in our profession. Jay chose family. Jay chose telling his friends he loved them and sharing hug after hug. Jay chose living a life on this earth in a way that any normal human couldn't help but admire. Before Jay dropped me off he said, "Chuck I need you in my life. let's talk more." Obviously the feeling was very mutual. We talked a couple of weeks ago on the phone with Jay giving me advice on how to go about developing a fledgling youth troop that I'm starting for our church. This group is something Jay inspired and I may be making the effort to change the name to "Jay's Troop."

Yesterday morning while playing tennis with his second youngest son Pete, Jay had a heart attack and moved forward into another life. This physical existence ended. I share this information because there is so much to learn from Jay McDonald about loving and laughing even if you didn't know him. For those of us that know him, he's still available. In between ridiculous crying over the last eighteen hours since Terry called me with the news I've heard the frequent laughter from Jay saying, "Sorry for the grief, but I'm fine! Please be fine too!" Jay McDonald has been one of the most spiritual people I've ever known and I'm sure he is fine.

I expect to be heading down to Texas soon to share hugs with his mom and dad, Debbie and Steve. Mostly I worry for his wife Lori. She's got three kids still to get through college and lost her best friend in from this earthly existence. If you'd like more information about services please let me know.

Jay was such a great example of how to love, learn and laugh with a friend. It's just a reminder of how much I'm looking forward to doing the same with you too.

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