John Edward McDonald III, 51, died Thursday, July 22, 2010, at his home after a lengthy illness. John served in the U.S. Air Force for six years and trained to become a member of the elite Blue Beret Unit of the U.S. Air Force. John later received honorary membership in the American Legion. John is the son of deceased U.S. Navy Boatswain's Mate 1st Class, John Edward Jr. John was born Jan. 17, 1959. He grew up in Florence and graduated from Coffee High School. John worked for the Florence Utility Department for several years after his military service and was married to Martha Jones McDonald. John was a member of St. John United Methodist Church in Florence. John was loved, admired and respected by everyone who knew him.Two of John's favorite things to do were to take cruises to the Caribbean with his wife, Martha, and friends, and to host foreign exchange students. John and Martha shared their home with foreign exchange students from Austria, Slovakia, Germany, Brazil, Spain, Ecuador and provided a stable, loving home for three Japanese children and two children of Chernobyl who needed temporary care.John is survived by his wife, Martha Jones McDonald; his mother, Harriett Kathrine McIntosh McDonald; four brothers, Andrew (and Brenner) McDonald, Nashville, Tenn., David McDonald, Atlanta, Ga., Paul McDonald, Pennslyvania ,Joe McDonald, Florence, Ala.; two uncles, James H. McIntosh and John McIntosh; an aunt, Jean McIntosh; a nephew, Andrew McDonald Jr.; and a niece, Ali McDonald.A celebration of John's life will be held in Greenview Memorial Chapel at 4 p.m. Sunday, July 25, 2010, with Brother Greg Burnett, Brother Tommy James and Brother Wendell White officiating. John will be buried with full military honors near his father in the Garden of Valor in Greenview Memorial Park. Visitation will be at Greenview Funeral Home from 2-4 p.m. Sunday, July 25, 2010.Pallbearers will be Ben Lee, Nicholas Lee, Matthew Lee, Jace Sargent, Ricky Springer, Scotty Jones, Bryan Jones, Jeremy Turner, Andrew McDonald, David McDonald, Paul McDonald and Joe McDonald.Honorary pallbearers will be Peggy Jones, Phyllis Kimbrough, Felicia Jones, Pam Brown Lee, Laura Richeson, Pam Blasingame, Carolyn Underwood, Susan Huddleston and Becky Foster, who served as attendants in John and Martha's wedding.John and Martha also honor Kay and Jimmy Luna, Carrol Word, Belva Crafton, Joey Blasingame, Greg Conkle, John Underwood, Jeff Richeson, Patrice Butler, Becky Spencer Pickle and Brenda Free.It is John and Martha's request that no flowers be used at John's visitation, celebration service or placed on John's grave. Absolutely none. If flowers are sent by mistake they will be taken to the local hospital and will not be displayed in any part of John's services. If you would like to remember John with a gift please make a donation in John's name to Bobby Behel, of Angel Flight Services, to the Alabama Music Hall of Fame, or to the Firefighters of Florence Firehouse No. 5. Thank you very much for honoring John and Martha's request for absolutely no flowers.John and Martha thank Dr. Richard Marsh and Dr. Daniel LaChance at the Mayo Clinic and the nurses and medical staff at the Mayo Clinic for the excellent care they took of John, Dr. George Morgan at Huntsville Hospital, Dr. Burt Nabors at UAB Hospital in Birmingham, Bobby Behel and Angel Flight Services, the Florence EMT services and firefighters of Florence Firehouse No. 5, the Florence Catholic Church Meals on Wheels volunteers and services, Wiregrass Hospice Care of Florence, specifically Dr. Richard Cunningham, R.N. Lisa Wallace, R.N. Charlene Updike and hospice caregiver Bonnie Hoover. John and Martha thank John's caretakers Megan Yarber, Morgan Ary, Amy Coppack, Donnie Hanson, Don Sealy, Tennell Sherrod, Dr. Ruth Stone and the Rev. Mary Jones. John and Martha lovingly thank family members, friends, neighbors and acquaintances who showered them with gifts and prayers during John's lengthy illness. Each gift, thought and prayer was greatly appreciated.Arrangements by Greenview Funeral Home.