Jacqueline Joan "Jackie-Jo" Kranz McDonald, 85, of Ottumwa died at 11:35 a.m. November 5, 2016 at the Vista Woods Care Center in Ottumwa, IA.
Jackie was born on August 10, 1931 in Ottumwa, IA to Irving H. and Georgia Winpigler Kranz.
She graduated from Ottumwa High School in 1949 and married James W. McDonald on March 31, 1951. She and Jim had recently celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary. Jim died on May 23, 2016. Since his death and until two weeks prior to her passing, Jackie was in the loving care of her son Kerry and daughter-in-law Laura in Blakesburg, IA.
Jackie was fearlessly creative. She was raised in a family of florists; her grandfather Clarence C. Kranz started Kranz Flowers in 1893, the first floral delivery service in Ottumwa. Her father, Irving, took over and continued the business with his wife Georgia. Jackie assisted the family until her her mother's passing in 1973. She then worked with Tony Yencsik at Tony's Flowers and later managed Easter's floral department for many years.
She was an adventurous home chef, equally adept at making masterpieces from whatever was in the fridge to creating amazingly delicious dishes from the wild game that Jim would bring home from the hunt, from duck, pheasant, and quail, to venison and morel mushrooms. Her pies were the best anywhere. She won numerous cooking competitions, and, something of a beauty, she garnered second prize in the Mrs. Iowa Competition in the early 1960's, after having her fifth child.
She was a member of D.A.R. and Beta Sigma Phi Sorority. She was passionate in her involvement with all things, including Iowa Hawkeye sports, animal preservation, and her children's well being.
Surviving are her sons, Kevin McDonald of Phoenix, AZ; Kerry (Laura) McDonald of Ottumwa, Kim (Melanie) McDonald of Iowa City, Jim (Joni) McDonald of Boston, MA; her daughters, Kit Bailey of Cedar Rapids and Janis McDonald (Steve Elliott) of Iowa City; granddaughters, Chloe and Kiersten; grandsons, Eric, Brandon and Brent; and many great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Keith Kranz and Irvin Kranz Jr.
Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Friday at Reece Funeral Home with Father Patrick Hilgendorf presiding. Burial will be in St. Patrick's Cemetery in Georgetown.
Visitation will begin at 11 a.m. Thursday at the funeral home with the family present from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday.
Memorials may be made to Heartland Humane Society P.O. Box 1149 Ottumwa, IA 52501 or the Indian Hills Community College Culinary Arts Program. - See more at: http://obituaries.ottumwacourier.com/story/jackie-mcdonald-845600352#sthash.L4qdeucv.dpuf