William P. Donaldson

I am William P. Donaldson, late of Baraboo, Wi and, as I can tell, I passed into the other world on January 8, 2026. 

I was born to James E. and Laura M. (Pauly) Donaldson (both deceased) on July 9, 1946 in Waukegan, IL. At the time, my parents lived and worked on the Downey Veterans Administration Hospital post in North Chicago. When I was five, we relocated to a to a farm in Russell, outside of Zion, Il., near the Wisconsin border. Our family moved to Black Earth, WI in 1957.

I was a member of the first class to receive diplomas from Wisconsin Heights High School in 1964. Following a very unproductive semester at the UW-Madison, I entered the U.S. Air Force in 1965 and served in the Medical Service. I was stationed in Glasgow, Montana (this base is now closed to military activity) and in Goose Bay, Labrador, Canada (this base is now operated by the Canadian National Forces). Although I never served in the Southeast Asia, my experiences helping injured Vietnam War veterans to rehabilitate instilled in me a lifelong reverence for peace and freedom and a deep respect for those who defend both. 

On my return to Wisconsin and civilian life in 1969, I worked for a time at the Sauk-Prairie Memorial Hospital in Prairie du Sac before setting about to learn a new profession. Madison Area Technical College was admitting students to its newly defined course in Inhalation Therapy and I was a member of that first class. After graduation in 1972, I worked as an Inhalation Therapist in Madison. In 1975, the name of the profession was changed to the more accurate title of “respiratory therapy”. The somewhat cynical explanation at the time was that someone decided to let the patients exhale. I worked successively at Madison Methodist, Fond du Lac St. Agnes, and Madison Saint Mary’s Hospitals before moving to Green Bay to try my hand at providing care to patients in their own homes. In 1983, I moved again, this time becoming the Director of Cardiopulmonary and Neurodiagnostic Services at Lakeland Hospital in Elkhorn, WI. While in Elkhorn, I completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science at UW-Whitewater by attending classes in the evening. Here I was, twenty five years out of high school and I already had my BA. Shortly after graduation in 1989, I was accepted into the Marquette University Law, and, following graduation from that institution, I was admitted to the Wisconsin Bar in 1993. In 2003, I added a Masters Degree in Public Administration from UW-Oshkosh to my resume’. But, hey, what could you expect? I was a Wisconsin Heights alum. 

My Law Degree lead me to a position as Counsel to the Wisconsin Board on Aging and Long Term Care, which I held for 23 years. There, I was able to use the knowledge gained from years in clinical health care together with an understanding of law and regulations and later-acquired understanding of the (real life) everyday processes of public administration to advise the State’s advocates for the elderly and disabled. I retired from the state service in 2017. I consider my service to the Board to be the capstone of a career serving people who most need help. 

Throughout my journey, I was accompanied by two partners. Marcy, my first wife, and the mother of my son, put up with my restless nature for very nearly 11 years before we parted ways, without rancor or recrimination. Marcy and I both took very seriously the responsibility for helping our son to mature into the fine man that he is today, although I must acknowledge that she did most of the heavy lifting. 

Several years after the end of my first marriage, I met and fell in love with my soul-mate, Marilyn. We have remained together until my death. Marilyn has been my rock. She has supported and encouraged (or, at least, tolerated) most of my sometimes foolish ideas, plans and endeavors. She told me when I was wrong and reassured me when I thought I was wrong. She has enriched my life and I have loved her for that. I fully expect that we will meet again in another plane of existence at another time. In 1993, Marilyn and I returned to the family homesite in Black Earth. We remained there until we moved to Mazomanie in 2009. We subsequently sold the Black Earth house while retaining ownership (jointly with my brother John) of the agricultural land and building. In 2017, Marilyn and I moved from Mazomanie to our current home high in the Baraboo Bluffs. 

I have loved my son, Jim, the heir to my father’s name and the eldest son of the eldest son of this branch of Clan MacDonald of the Isles. Jim carries on in his Mother’s name and my career path in health care and he has also inherited the family’s love of music. As a professional, as a musician, as a scholar, as an athlete, as a husband to his lovely wife Sarah, and as a man, Jim has made me enormously proud of everything he has accomplished and I have no doubt that he will continue to do so. 

Beginning in mid-2021, I have developed several cancerous tumors. It is entirely plausible to assume that this eventually lead to my demise. At this point, however, a combination of excellent physicians and superb surgical, chemical, and technological medical care, has kept me alive until the time of the drafting of this narrative. 

There being no batter way to say what I now want to say, I will simply address this to all that I have known during this life.  Farewell,…care for one another,…respect our Universe,… and smile when you recall me being here. 

Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, March 14, 2026 at The Shack, 1103 Mills St., Black Earth, from 12 noon - 5pm. 

Special thank you to William’s brother, John, as well as SSM Hospice for all of their care.