SALEM- William Henry Keith Donaldson, a prominent North Shore attorney died on March 3rd in Salem. MA. Born August 15, 1914 in Elwood Indiana, Mr. Donaldson spent his early years in the Midwest and California before moving to Florida in the late 1920’s. He was a member of the Class of 1936 of Harvard College, earned an L.L.B. from Harvard Law School, and attended Harvard Divinity School.
After becoming a member of the Massachusetts Bar in 1939, Mr. Donaldson’s professional career began in the FBI where he was a Field Agent in Pensacola, Detroit, and New York City. After establishing a law practice in Miami, he moved to Salem in the 1940’s, where he was in private practice until this year. During that time he also served as Assistant Solicitor for the City of Salem for a number of years and had interests in banking and real estate. He was a longtime member of the Massachusetts Bar Association and an active member of the state Democratic Party.
While raising a family and practicing law, Mr. Donaldson found time to give back to the community by his leadership of a number of local civic and charitable organizations. He had been president of Historic Salem, Inc, a trustee of Salem Hospital, a board member of the Salem Visiting Nurses Association, a director of and legal counsel to the Topsfield Fair, a member of the MSPCC, and a member of the Salem Lion’s Club. He was also instrumental in the establishment of the Crombie Street Shelter/Salem Mission. Mr. Donaldson was a member of the First Church in Salem, Unitarian, where he was a long-time Deacon and served as Moderator for forty years.
His lifelong love of travel began in 1929 when, as an Eagle Scout, he traveled to England for the third International Boy Scout Jamboree and met Scouting’s founder, Robert Baden-Powell. He spent a summer in Paris before attending college, climbed the Matterhorn in Switzerland, visited all 50 states (including a memorable family auto trip to Alaska along the Al-Can Highway in the early 1960’s), rode the length of the Trans-Siberian Railway as part of a ten-week round-the-world excursion, and traveled widely in Europe and the Americas. He remained an active traveler into his 80’s, visiting China with friends, and London with his grandson Nicholas.
A firm believer in “a sound mind in a sound body” he remained physically active into his later years. He was a long-time member of the Salem Country Club, the Tedesco Badminton Club, and the North Shore Tennis and Squash Club where he displayed a passion for racquet sports.
,P.Mr. Donaldson was married for 45 years to the late Miriam (Daly) Donaldson, a tireless volunteer in local causes. He leaves his two daughters, Claire M. Donaldson and Elizabeth Schultz; his son-in law Eric Schultz; two grandsons, Nicholas K. Donaldson and William Andrew Maxwell Schultz; and two granddaughters Hannah Bannon Schultz and India Pearl Daly Schultz, all of Salem.
Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, March 19, 2005 at 10:30 AM at the First Church in Salem, Unitarian, 316 Essex Street, Salem, followed by a reception at Nathaniel’s at the Hawthorne Hotel, Salem. Relatives and friends respectfully invited. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to the Hospice of The North Shore, 10 Elm Street, Danvers, MA 01923. For on line guestbook and other information, visit www.SalemFuneral.com