Christopher Mcdonald

Chris McDonald 2/4/48-1/26/18 Chris McDonald of Las Cruces, died suddenly January 26, 2018. Born in Oakland and raised in Phoenix, Chris lived in Las Cruces for more than 40 years. A magna cum laude graduate of Brophy Preparatory School and the University of San Francisco, Chris moved to Las Cruces in 1974 to work at White Sands Missile Range as a security specialist. He retired from WSMR in 2003 as an information systems security manager. Within the Department of Defense (U.S. Army), Chris McDonald was considered one of the top information systems security specialists, advising the WSMR commanding generals and their staffs on security issues. He also provided security training to many other government agencies including the Department of the Navy and the Department of Energy. Respected for his work, he was also respected for his generous contributions to the WSMR community including the WSMR Museum. But his generosity extended well beyond White Sands to include the Las Cruces community and the world. His local contributions included his church, Our Lady of Guadalupe in Tortugas, Catholic Charities of Southern New Mexico, the Safe Haven Animal Sanctuary Thrift Store, The Habitat for Humanity Restore, the Boy Scouts of America Yucca chapter, the Gospel Rescue Mission and the Black Box Theater. His national and international contributions included his alma maters (Brophy Prep and USF), Human Rights Watch, Southern Poverty Law Center, Doctors Without Borders, the U.S. Holocaust Museum, and many, many more. Chris McDonald's generosity knew no bounds and the legacies he left, both in his job and in his life, will long be respected and remembered. At his death, his last rites were celebrated by both his parish priest, Father Valentine Jankowski, and retired Monsignor, Robert Getz. He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Bochmann and his mother-in-law Marie Bochmann. He is survived by his mother, Helen McDonald, his sister Nicoletta Vaughn, his brother-in-law, Jim Vaughn, and his nephew, Christopher Vaughn. His cremation was entrusted to Getz Funeral Home. A memorial mass will be celebrated at Our Lady of Guadalupe church at a later date.