Peter Angus McDonald, praised as ‘the soccer guy who could coach,’ passed away on January 3. He was 66. A native of Glasgow, Scotland, McDonald moved to Los Angeles in 1963 and became active in the Santa Monica Thistle Club, receiving California Soccer Player of the Year honors. In 1972, he moved to Pacific Palisades, where he was an active member of Corpus Christi Church for over 30 years. An engineer at Parsons in Pasadena until his retirement in 1995, Peter loved to play golf and was an avid Glasgow Celtic Football Club supporter. He coached many youth soccer teams, including AYSO, Loyola and Marymount high schools, and Real Santa Monica (this team toured Great Britain). ‘He was a terrific coach, high quality and wonderful with the kids,’ says Palisadian George Wolfberg, former AYSO Region 69 commissioner. ‘He was as good as you can get because he was a soccer guy who could coach.’ Peter Fink, the Region 69 Commissioner in 1979-80, recalled that ‘although Peter wanted to win each game, it was more important to him that the team members did their best and improved their skills.’ Despite many health problems in his later years, McDonald enjoyed a full and active life. He is survived by his four children: Peter (wife Ann-Sofi), Maureen Kealey (husband William), Kathleen Weismiller (husband David), and Heather (husband Anthony) McDonald; grandchildren Kajsa and Annika McDonald, Ava Weismiller and William Kealey; sister Margaret Boyle; and nieces and nephews. A funeral Mass will be held on Friday, January 11 at 11 a.m. at Corpus Christi Church, 880 Toyopa Dr.
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