Arlington National Cemetery

Just across the Ptomac River from Washington D.C. is Arlington National Cemetery. This military memorial established long ago is one of the most revered final resting places in the country.

A sister of our Great-grandmother, Josephine Krauser Brown, is buried here, presumably on the merits of her husband, John McDonald, whose vitals we were delayed in ascertaining.

McDONALD, Theresa Florence, widow of John, and
McDONALD, Sgt. John
Section 17, grave 23581 -together

Their obituaries, published in the Washington Post, may be found here.

Whomever I spoke to first was not very helpful, unfortunately. When I asked her for John's whereabouts and other information (I did not have his obituary yet) she said there were several John McDonalds and without a middle initial she could tell me nothing. I tried to reason, saying he must have died around the same time as Theresa, he must be buried near her... She would not budge.

So when I had the obit, I called again and thought I was going to go through this all over again when she asked me for a middle initial. I said I had none, but I had his rank and branch of service and death date... that this should account for something. Well, after some deducting she found him. He was buried in the same grave as his wife (Why couldn't they tell me that before!) and just out of curiosity, I asked what his middle initial was- she told me he had none! Well, then... Thank you Vicky for at least folding part of this mystery.