(12/19/14) South Attleboro – Frank “Red” E. McDonald, 90, passed away Friday, December 19, 2014. He was the beloved husband of Elizabeth (Collinson) McDonald for sixty-six years. Born in Burrillville, a son of the late Mary (Locklin) McDonald, he resided in Pawtucket before moving to South Attleboro over forty years ago. Frank was a self-employed musician and the co-owner with his late brother, Raymond of McDonald’s Music Center, Seekonk for over thirty years until retiring. As a youngster, he listened to the Big Bands every chance he could, and when they came to the Old Metropolitan Theater in Providence, he’d be there. As a teenager, he began his musical career singing, yodeling, playing the harmonica, tiple and guitar and became a member of the Harmonica Band at the Pawtucket Boys Club. From that beginning, he went on to playing in a six piece band at the Colonial Hall in Central Falls, Frank Dailey’s Meadowbrook in New Jersey, the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago, and the Fox Theater in Detroit as solo guitarist in Frankie Carle’s 23-piece band during the Big Band era of the 1940s and 1950s. After the Big Band era came to a close, Red continued his musical career locally playing with Ray Mullin and the Ed Drew Band at Rhodes on the Pawtuxet, Bobby Hackett and Arthur Paquette’s Orchestra and jazz shows at Bovi’s in East Providence through the 1950’s. Frank had a very interesting life that he enjoyed immensely. Besides his wife, he leaves three children, Frank E. McDonald, Jr. and his wife, Madeleine of Centerville, MA, Jacqueline Chevalier and her husband, Gerald and Robert McDonald and his wife, Carol all of Woonsocket; a sister, Joyce Burke-Tellier of Cumberland; several grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. He was the brother of the late Raymond McDonald, Norman McDonald and Carole Recore. His funeral will be held Tuesday at 10 a.m. from WILLIAM W. TRIPP Funeral Home, 1008 Newport Ave., Pawtucket, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial 11 a.m. in St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Church, 18 Baltic St., South Attleboro. Interment will follow at Moshassuck Cemetery, Central Falls. VISITATION Monday 4 to 7 p.m. TRIPPFUNERALHOME.com
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