Julia Anita McDonald

A woman of quiet strength, Anita McDonald joined her Savior and Lord on Easter Sunday. Julia “Anita” (Smith) McDonald was born March 18, 1940 in Palmdale, CA, the only daughter of Pharis and Velma (Ledbetter) Smith of Carroll County, AR. She overcame Rheumatic fever as a young child and recovered her ability to walk after being home- and wheelchair-bound for many months. The disease severely damaged her heart but strengthened her spirit. She graduated High School from Visalia, CA where she met and married Carroll McDonald in 1959. They brought their three children to Tishomingo, Carroll’s birthplace, in 1969. Once her children got older, Anita began working in the business office of Murray State College but always wanted to be teacher. She set her sights on a college degree and then, between her work and parenting and running her household, she took as many college courses each year as time and finances would allow over the period of many years. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in 1981 and began teaching computers and technology at Southern OK Technology Center. She then went on to add a Spanish Teaching Certificate to her education. She spent many weeks in Mexico for immersive study and then started her “dream job” in her early 50s. Studying and teaching Spanish was her greatest love after family. She was able to travel to Spain, Mexico and Puerto Rico and taught Spanish at Tishomingo High School for 7 years until her first retirement. She began teaching again at Murray State until she retired at last at age 72 – then she continued to tutor English to Spanish speakers. In between all her life adventures were various surgeries to repair her heart. They were never fully successful and the early prognosis in her middle 50s was not to survive to age 70. They had no idea how strong she really was. Anita was involved with several local clubs and organizations including her quilting club, the Women’s Ministry of the Assembly of God Church, the Johnston County’s Oklahoma Home and Community Education (OHCE) club, and she served as a poll worker for the Johnston County Election Board. Her alone time was spent gardening or quilting or reading a book in Spanish. She is survived by her husband of 67 years, Carroll McDonald, and children: Stephen and his wife Theresa McDonald; Julie McDonald; Jeanine and her husband Bruce Teter; and grandson, Samuel McDonald. She also leaves behind her brothers Gene Smith of Oregon; David and his wife Sharon Smith of California; Dan and his wife Kay Steelman of Florida, and her sister, Alisa and her husband Richard Hughes of Washington. Funeral services to honor and celebrate Anita’s life will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, at the Assembly of God Church in Tishomingo, with Pastor Jimmy Ames officiating. Interment will follow at Tishomingo Cemetery. Arrangements were made under the direction and care of DeArman-Clark Funeral Home.

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Julia Anita McDonald

March 18, 1940 - April 5, 2026