Paul Richard MacDonald, 69, beloved father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend died November 29, 2021 in De Soto, KS. A private family service was held on Friday, December 3 at Porter Funeral Home in Lenexa, KS. Paul’s family expresses their profound gratitude for everyone’s outpouring of love and support, during this time of sorrow. As Paul would wish, the family asks for memorial contributions to be made to Catholic Central High School or Western Golf Association Evans Scholars Foundation.
Paul was many things to many people, but for those closest to him he was beloved.
He was a beloved MacDonald Son. On April 14, 1952, Paul was born in the heart of Detroit, Michigan, to a large and vibrant family. As the third of seven children, Paul played a central role in the life of his family. Always the showman, the young Paul was a musician, a drum major, and, occasionally, the mastermind of elaborate and hilarious pranks. Paul was devoted to his mother and dearly loved his brothers and sisters, drawing his strength from their foundational bond.
He was a beloved Dad and Papa. Paul stepped into fatherhood at a young age. Raising four daughters is not a task for the faint of heart, and Paul not only willingly took up the task but embraced it with all his might. An imposing man of height, with a thick mane of hair often paired with a full beard, Paul was the image of a protector and provider. However, his children and grandchildren were granted access to the soft side of Paul. Whether he was spending hours looking for the perfect prom dress or on the golf course helping to find a perfect swing or in the shop teaching all things cars, Paul’s love for his family was undeniable. Traveling and experiencing the world was especially important to Paul, and he shared this with his family. Memories of trains, planes, and automobiles to all corners of the globe will remain as treasures to be called upon in times of aching sadness, as Paul was most alive when he was walking the streets of Edinburgh, navigating the subways of New York, or caught up in the magic of Disney.
He was a beloved, pen-ultimate “Car Guy”. Upon his graduation from Catholic Central in 1970 and a year at King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, Paul, as a child of the Motor City, entered the automobile business at his grandfather’s Chevrolet Dealership in Detroit. This would prove to be the beginning of a prolific life as automobile dealer and his identity as a “car guy”. Following 10 years under the tutelage of his grandfather, Paul left his family story to purchase a dealership in Hays, Kansas, and established his own automobile legacy. He has held Volkswagen, Porsche, Audi, Mazda and Chevrolet franchises garnering him many awards and accolades including the honor of being a TIME Magazine Quality Dealer. As Paul’s career developed, he contributed to the evolution of the automobile industry through his work at NADA, the National Automobile Dealer’s Association. Recognizing the emerging role of technology and computer information, Paul was an innovator, advisor, and mentor, helping many colleagues traverse the technological highway of the 21st century. Nearing the end of his professional life, Paul had been the proud owner-dealer of Orem and Bountiful Mazda and remained to his death, the President of Tri-Mac Automotive Advisory Group.
He was a beloved Servant Leader and Friend. Although he played the role of owner and proprietor of a family business, Paul, at heart, was always seeking to serve. If he wasn’t selling Christmas trees for the Optimist Club or serving on the board of a hospital or school, Paul offered a place of employment for people to feel a sense of purpose and connection, so that they may be able to care for their families and also participate in the community. His friends and community will miss his big heart, his even bigger smile, and his unwavering dedication.
He was a beloved Highland Piper. For some, Paul will be remembered as the call-in-the-middle-of-the-night-guy to solve any problem big or small. For others, he was always ready to round out a foursome and be a true source for clarifying the rules of the grand game of golf. For many, he will always be pictured wandering the hills of Scotland playing an enchanting melody on his prized, sparkling bagpipes.
Preceded in death by his mother, Dorothy, his father Lawrence, and two grandsons, Luke and Zach, Paul leaves behind his numerous nephews and nieces and their parents, his seven siblings: Margaret; Larry and his wife, Dorothy; Betsy and her husband and Paul’s lifelong friend, Fred; Mike and his wife, Lou; Chris and his partner, Annette; and Fred and his wife, JoEllen. Paul also leaves behind the mother of his children, Terri. He will be forever in the hearts of his four daughters, nine grandchildren, and the many generations to follow: Jenny, her husband, Christian, and two children, Elyse and Cian; Stacey and her daughters, Allison and Emily; Calley, her husband Brett, and two daughters, Claire and Chloe; and Shannon, her husband, Brad, and son, Callen.
Though his time was far too short, Paul will be forever loved.