Elizabeth Graves Bethune and Malcolm Bell McDonald

MALCOLM BELL MCDONALD, son of HANNAH CHRISTY BELL and MALCOLM SCOTT MCDONALD, was born November 30, 1901 in Wayne County, Indiana,¹²² and died January 10, 1990 in Decatur, DeKalb, Georgia.³⁷

He married ELIZABETH GRAVES BETHUNE on December 30, 1930 in Palm Beach, Florida.^{1765, 4460} She was born June 7, 1909 in Georgia,⁴⁵⁶ and died March 14, 2002.⁴⁵⁶ She is buried in Sparta Cemetery, Hancock County, Georgia.⁴⁵⁶

• Descendant Reports
  • William Scott Descendant Report (Ancestor of Malcolm B. McDonald)
  • Edward Erwin Descendant Report (Ancestor of Malcolm B. McDonald)
  • Jacob Clements Descendant Report (Ancestor of Malcolm B. McDonald)
  • Francis Stuart Descendant Report (Ancestor of Malcolm B. McDonald)
  • William Campbell Descendant Report (Ancestor of Malcolm B. McDonald)
  • James Crawford Descendant Report (Ancestor of Malcolm B. McDonald)
  • Timothy Hall Descendant Report (Ancestor of Malcolm B. McDonald)

Children of ELIZABETH GRAVES BETHUNE and MALCOLM BELL MCDONALD:

1. Daughter
2. Son

Richmond Daily Palladium, December 3, 1901⁵⁰²⁷

Grandpa W. E. Bell was up town this morning, all smiles, and announced the safe arrival at his house of a fine boy Saturday, son of M. S. McDonald and wife, nee Christie Bell. Mr. McDonald is at home at Newport News, Va., and Mrs. McDonald is here with her parents, coming in anticipation of this event. All are doing finely including Mr. Bell, who declares the state of grandfathership a delightful one.

• Malcolm Bell McDonald was a member of the Oak Grove United Methodist Church, Decatur, DeKalb, Georgia. ⁶⁵²⁷

Miami News, December 30, 1930⁶⁵²⁹

Miss Bethune, Miami Social Favorite, Becomes Bride of Malcolm McDonald This Afternoon at Church Ceremony

In a ceremony witnessed by only the families and close friends, Miss Elizabeth G. Bethune, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. B. T. Bethune of Lisbon st., Coral Gables, and Malcolm B. McDonald, son of Christy B. McDonald, were married this afternoon at the Coral Gables Congregational church, with the Rev. Don Henshaw officiating. The single ring service was used.

Mrs. Walter Pierce served as matron of honor and R. H. Fite, jr., was best man. Mrs. Pierce's afternoon gown was developed of king's blue chiffon on long lines. A turban of gold was worn and her flowers were red roses.

The bride was lovely in an ensemble of bronze chiffon created to accentuate the new winter mode. The long full sleeves were beaded in the same color and corresponded with a design around the neck. A hat of brown balibuntl and eggshell gloves were harmonizing accessories. Marshal Neil roses and valley lilies formed the bridal bouquet.

Miss Kathryn Shauer presented a program of nuptial music on the organ, using both Lohengrin's and Mendelssohn's marches for the service. She played softly during the reading of the vows.

The bride has endeared herself to a wide circle of friends since coming to Miami from Macon, Ga. She was educated at Washington seminary, Atlanta and Florida State College for Women, Tallahassee. She is a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority and one of the most popular members of Miami's younger contingent.

Mr. McDonald attended Case school, Cleveland, and is a member of Beta Theta Pi fraternity. He is secretary to Joe Gill, president of the Florida Light & Power Co. He formerly lived in Huntington, W. Va.

The young couple left this afternoon on the SS Iroquis for a honeymoon trip to Cuba. After their return they will reside at 747 Michigan ave., Miami Beach.

Mrs. McDonald wore for traveling a suit of brown chiffon velvet with cowl collar of lace and matching hat, slippers and gloves.

Macon Telegraph, January 11, 1931⁴⁴⁶⁰

News has reached me of the marriage of Elizabeth Graves Bethune, the attractive daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Thomas Bethune, to Malcolm Bell McDonald, of Miami, the wedding having taken place Dec. 30 at the home of the bride in Coral Gables.

Betty, who is a petite blond, attended Lanier High school and has visited here a number of times as the guests of Louise Kilpatrick, Ina Brown and others since moving to Florida to make her home. She attended college at Tallahassee where she was a popular member of the A. D. Pi sorority. Her mother was a Sparta girl, attended Wesleyan college, and like Betty, has numbers of friends in Macon who are interested in her daughter's marriage.

Palladium-Item, July 10, 1954⁶⁵²⁸

Ex-Resident Named Vice-President of Florida Utility

Malcolm B. McDonald of Coral Gables, Fla., a Wayne county native, has been named vice-president of the Florida Power and Light company, it was announced Friday. McDonald visited relatives here a year ago.

The firm is one of the south's largest electric utilities. McDonald joined the firm in 1926 as a clerk.

He was advanced to assistant to the president in 1936. He has also been assistant division manager, director of safety and personnel, director of publicity and advertising, and secretary of the company.

McDonald is a member and officer of several Florida civic organizations, is active in national associations of the electric utility industry, and is a member of the Public Relations Society of America.

He is the son of Mrs. M. S. McDonald, the former Christy Bell of Richmond, and is a brother of Mrs. Al Corsi of 2425 South D street. An aunt, Mrs. Frank Harold, resides at 42 South Nineteenth street.

Atlanta Constitution, January 11, 1990⁶⁵²⁷

McDONALD

Mr. Malcolm B. McDonald, Decatur, died January 10, 1990. Mr. McDonald was with Florida Power & Light Co., for 44 years. A member of Oak Grove United Methodist Church. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Elizabeth McDonald, daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Gibson (Beth) Johnston, Atlanta; sister, Mrs. A.J. Corsi, Richmond, Ind.; granddaughter, Mrs. Scottie Shoen, grandson, Mr. Gip Johnston, III, great-grandson, McDonald Schoen, all of Atlanta. A memorial service will be held Friday morning at 11 o'clock at Oak Grove United Methodist Church. Dr. Gil Watson will officiate. A.S. Turner & Sons.

Miami Herald, January 20, 1990⁹⁶⁶⁸

Malcolm 'Mac' McDonald, 88

Retired Florida Power & Light publicity director Malcolm "Mac" McDonald died Jan. 10 of pneumonia. He was 88.

In its earlier days before air condition was common, FPL had trouble drumming up summer demand for electricity. To increase demand, Mr. McDonald created a Stay-through-May publicity program and the Yankee Brow Mopper to persuade tourists to come to Miami in the summer.

"it was merely a little paper napkin saying that people could come to Florida and be more comfortable than in the North during the summertime," said Lory Snipes, retired corporate communications manager. "He developed it as a little giveaway item that FPL would make available to convention groups."

He came to Miami as a tourist in the early 1920s, but decided to stay when he realized the wealth to be made in real estate. He was approached by a man on the street searching for a real estate office. Mr. McDonald walked to the office with the man, who paid cash for a lot.

"Some man came up to him and said, 'Do you work here?' and Mac said, 'Well, I do now,'" said his wife Betty McDonald. "Mac got a $700 commission right away. He put the money in the bank and went to work."

With the end of the real estate boom, he applied for a job as secretary to FPL's president, Joe Gill. He was hired in 1926.

"Gill didn't like paperwork, so I started answering a lot of his mail on my own," Mr. McDonald once said. "After a while, I became assistant to the president and held that job under several presidents."

The promotions continued until 1954, when he was name FPL vice president of advertising and publicity, a position he held until his retirement in 1966. The same year, he was awarded the Printer's Ink Silver Medal Award by the Advertising Club of Greater Miami. He moved to Atlanta in 1987.

Mr. McDonald is survived by his wife, Betty; daughter Beth Johnston; sister Ann Corsi; two grandchildren and a great-grandson.

Burial will be at Woodlawn Park Cemetery.