[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 64 (Wednesday, April 14, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E385]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   CONGRATULATING MAYOR ROY McDONALD

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BRIAN BABIN

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 14, 2021

  Mr. BABIN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Mayor Roy 
McDonald on his retirement after 26 years of faithful service to the 
citizens of the City of West Orange, Texas.
  Roy was born on June 30, 1944 in Glenmora, Louisiana to Jesse and 
Della McDonald and grew up in DeQuincy, Louisiana. After graduating 
from DeQuincy High School in 1962, he went on to serve his country in 
the United States Army from 1962 through 1965, where he earned the rank 
of Specialist 5th Class.
  Following his time in the military, Roy moved to Texas in 1966 to 
work for Dupont, where he remained for 32 years until his retirement in 
1998. It was in Orange, Texas that he met and married his wife LaVerne 
on January 7, 1967 and raised their children Beverly and Troy. His 
children remember fondly the road trips he planned for his family, how 
he mapped out every trip they took, and how he taught them to follow 
along on the map as they traveled across the country. His children 
remember these road trips being such fun experiences that they didn't 
even realize how their dad was teaching them at the time.
  Roy and LaVerne share a strong faith in God and have been faithful, 
lifelong members of McDonald Memorial Baptist Church, where he has 
served as deacon, Trustee, and Sunday School teacher for many years. 
Roy has also served as a member of the Gideon International 
organization.
  In 1987, Roy became involved in politics by serving on the West 
Orange City Council for five years before becoming Mayor of West Orange 
in May of 1995. During his time as a public servant, he worked on 
numerous local, regional, and state committees. Roy served on the 
Southeast Texas Regional Planning Commission from 1999 to 2004, working 
in several different positions from Secretary to President. He also 
served on the Texas Association of Regional Councils as Chairman of the 
Budget and By-laws Committee and as President of the Association. In 
addition, he served on the Texas Municipal League Small Cities Advisory 
Council as Chairman. In 2002 and 2004, Roy was appointed by Governor 
Rick Perry to the Southeast Texas Regional Review Committee.
  During his tenure as mayor, Roy oversaw the construction of a new 
City Hall, new Fire and Police Stations, and numerous drainage and 
street projects. He also helped organize the city's recovery efforts 
after several natural disasters, such as the ice storm in 1997, and as 
many as nine hurricanes and tropical storms over the last three 
decades.
  I wish Roy well in this next phase of life and have no doubt he will 
enjoy spending more time with his bride LaVerne, his daughter Beverly 
and her husband Dr. Servet Satir, and with his son Troy McDonald and 
wife Rose, and especially his five grandchildren Troy McDonald II, 
Olivia Satir, Kyle McDonald, Micah Satir, and Megan McDonald.
  Madam Speaker, I would like to thank Mayor McDonald for his lifetime 
of dedicated service to the citizens of West Orange and wish him the 
very best during his well-deserved retirement.

                          ____________________