Dr. Cheryl Lynn Mcdonald

After a courageous and determined battle with cancer, Cheryl McDonald returned to her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on July 29, 2024.

Born in Evansville, Indiana on September 29, 1961, she was the daughter of the late Jack L. McDonald and Clara “Pat” McDonald, of Washington. She is survived by her mother, her brothers Stuart and James, all of Washington; her sisters Julie Hopf of Jasper and Christina Ison of Bloomington; two nieces, nine nephews, two great-nephews and a great-niece, and two brothers-in-law. Her paternal grandparents were James and Juanita McDonald; her maternal grandparents were Thomas and Beulah Alexander, all of Washington. Cheryl was generous and compassionate, devoted to her family and friends, and a devout Christian.

Cheryl graduated from Washington High School in 1979, and entered Purdue University where she graduated from the School of Pharmacy in 1984 as one of the “Purdue 500”, with a GPA within the top 1% of all Purdue Students. From Purdue she entered the Indiana University School of Medicine, with an MD degree conferred in March 1988.

Following her graduation from medical school, Cheryl interned and did her residency in the Philadelphia, Pa. area and served a Fellowship in Infectious Diseases at the Ohio State University College of Medicine. She was Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases. Her past employment includes four years as a Medical Officer at the Food and Drug Administration in Rockville, Maryland; as a physician in private medical practice in Statesville, North Carolina: and as Southeast Region Medical Director for Pfizer, Inc. Cheryl joined the National Institutes of Health in Maryland in 2001, where she was a Medical Officer in the Vascular Biology and Hypertension Branch, Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, and was the Director of the Gene Therapy Resource Program at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. She remained in those roles at the NIH until the time of her death. Additionally, she was a Fellow in the prestigious White House Leadership Development Program from October 2017 to September 2018, with an assignment on the Performance and Personnel Management team in the Office of Management and Budget. During her career, her work as an author or coauthor was published in medical journals or scientific publications 10 times, and she was a presenter, moderator, organizer or guest lecturer 17 times.

Cheryl was a past or present member of numerous professional and civic service organizations. Her hobbies included sailing, sewing, and baking.

Viewing will be Saturday August 10 from 2 PM till 6 PM at Goodwin Sievers funeral home in Washington. On Sunday August 11, visitation will be from 12 – 1 PM, and funeral services start at 1 PM at Goodwin Sievers. Interment will be at Sugarland Memory Gardens in Washington.