Obituary of Daniel J. McDonald

EAST GREENBUSH- Daniel McDonald "Lefty", 70 of East Greenbush, entered eternal life peacefully at home on January 27, 2022.  Born in Troy, he was the son of the late Daniel J. McDonald, Sr. and Helene (Norton) McDonald.  Danny graduated from LaSalle Institute in 1969 and attended Hudson Valley Community College. He worked at Albany (Felt) International for 38 years in both Menands and East Greenbush and was the President of the United Textile Union.  He retired from the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering at SUNY Polytechnic Institute.  He met the love of his life Patricia McDonald and were married in 1980 in Saratoga, New York.  They enjoyed their travels to Las Vegas and loved camping in the Adirondacks at Hidden Pond Campground.  Danny  played softball in his younger years and was an avid bowler.  He loved playing golf and was the happiest when he was riding his motorcycles, especially his '76 Harley Davidson.  His smile and constant sarcasm made him the man that so many loved.

He was predeceased by his sister Catherine Lashly and son James Dean Swartz and is survived by his wife Patricia M. McDonald, his sister Ann Marie Long, his children, Melvin Swartz (Beth), Maria Mencarelli (Paul), Beverly LaPointe (Tony) and daughter-in-law, Teresa Swartz.  He was so proud to be called Papa to his grandchildren Joseph Belz, III, Melvin Swartz, III, Michael Swartz, Jon LaFontaine, Josh LaFontaine, Danielle LaPointe, Kellie LaPointe, Jesse James Swartz, Brittany Brooks, Haley Hindes and his great grandchildren Wyatt Joseph Belz, Ellison Brooks and Harper Polunci.  He is survived by his niece Robin Long and nephew Jeffrey Long and everyone else who called him Uncle Danny.

A special thanks to one of our dad's best friends, John Keefe, for being there with my dad over the past years taking him to do the things that our dad loved. Golfing with his buddies and going to the casino.

A wake will be held on Monday, January 31, 2022 from 9-11 a.m. at W.J. Lyons, Jr.  Funeral Home, Rensselaer, NY with a service immediately following at 11AM.  In lieu of flowers, we are asking donations to be made to the Mohawk Humane Society in memory of their dog Cloee.