News and Press

George Granger MacDonald Jr., 65, of Kerrville, died on June 17, 2020. Granger was born January 18, 1955 in Austin, Texas to Jean Wiedenfeld MacDonald and George Granger MacDonald.

He was a proud alumnus of the University of Texas at Austin, New Mexico Military Institute, and McCallum High School. While still in college, Granger first entered into his family’s home building business by running multiple framing crews in between attending classes. He later would become a partner with his mother, Jean. In the 1990’s, they began studying the unmet housing needs of Texas. That little research project would go on to encourage Granger that building affordable homes in rural communities was the best way to give back to his state while earning a living at the same time.

In 1993, Granger developed his first multi-family community. By the early 2000s, The MacDonald Companies would become one of the nation’s leading homebuilders by specializing in multi-family developments in suburban, rural and sub-rural communities throughout Texas.

Believing that he owed a debt of gratitude back to the communities and industry that had been so good to him, Granger volunteered and became a leader in multiple ways. As a young man still living in Austin, he served as a member of the City of Austin Environmental Board and Planning Commission while also volunteering for the Austin Aqua Festival and Laguna Gloria Art Museum’s annual Fiesta.

After moving back to his family homestead in Kerrville, Granger served on the board of the Upper Guadalupe River Authority, the Board of Trustees of Schreiner University, the board of Habitat for Humanity, and on the Vestry of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church.

Perhaps his favorite accomplishment, however, was service to his fellow homebuilders. He spent countless hours and traveled the state and the country on behalf of the Texas Affiliation of Affordable Housing Providers, Texas Association of Builders and National Association of Home Builders. He eventually held the top leadership roles in all three of those organizations and treasured the time he spent with them and the lifelong friendships that he formed along the way. One of his proudest moments was being inducted into the Texas Housing Hall of Honor in 2019.

Growing up spending time in the Texas Hill Country and Northern New Mexico, Granger developed a love for hunting, fishing, and being outdoors.  He continued this passion throughout his life, making many a friend while chasing a covey of quail or sitting around a campfire. He traveled around the world with his friends and fellow outdoorsmen, and loved every minute of it.

Granger is survived by his wife and the love of his life, Kathy. After finding her, it was apparent to all who knew him that he had found true happiness. He is also survived by his son, Justin MacDonald and wife Courtney, of Kerrville; and by two daughters he thought of as his own, Christine Parker and husband Owen; and Sarah Wistner, all of Houston. He is also survived by grandchildren Mary Kathleen MacDonald, Brooks Parker, and Finnegan Parker. Granger was preceded in death by his parents and Doug Wistner.

The family will hold a small, private graveside ceremony. A larger celebration of life befitting Granger’s larger-than-life character will be held at a later date when it is deemed safe to hold such a gathering again.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the National Housing Endowment/Doug Wistner Scholarship Fund (www.nationalhousingendowment.org); Habitat for Humanity Kerr County, PO BOX 294566, Kerrville, TX 78029; or St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 320 St. Peter Street, Kerrville, TX 78028.