(Royal, IA) Sometimes people leave lasting impressions and when their time on earth ends too soon their legacy lives on. That is exactly the case with Jim McDonnell who was a respected educator, fishing guide and outdoors advocate in Northwest Iowa. Jim’s daughter Kelly talks about what they found in his notes shortly after his death…
“We found a notebook in all his things and he had put down his wishes and what he wanted on his tombstone which is meticulously organized, and that’s so like him, so like a coach, right? Always thinking of the next play. And he said he wanted on his tombstone, a teacher first. You can’t get more powerful than that.”
The Jim McDonnell Scholarship is given to Iowa graduating high school students planning to study wildlife, conservation, environment or teaching in college. Kelly says the family felt a scholarship in his name was the best way to honor his legacy…
“And he just was larger than life. He was involved in everything and he loved to always make a difference. He was always like you’ve got to have boots on the ground if you want to make something happen. So after he died unexpectedly in 2012 we wanted to carry on his legacy somehow, and this was the idea. So I went to the Iowa Great Lakes Fishing Club at the time and we started the wild game dinner with them the first year. Dad died in 2012 and we had an event that year and just started raising money for his scholarship and that’s kind of how it started, just to try to carry on. We thought that would make him happy. That’s what he would have wanted.”
Jim was a big fan of Halloween so The “Halloween Harvest Soup Supper” will take place on October 25th at the Great Hall of Royal. Doors open at 5 and soup is served from 6 to 8. There will be a free will donation, raffle items and a silent auction and all proceeds go to the scholarship. To date over $28,000 has helped students further their education. For more information or to donate to the cause you can visit jimmcdonnellscholarship.com.
McDonnell is affectionately remembered by many as the ‘Ole Fishing Professor. He hosted a weekly fishing show for many years on KUOO.
