Helena (Murphy) McDonald

Helena Murphy McDonald, of Liberty, passed away on Saturday, March 14, 2026, at Liberty Care and Rehab. She was 93.

Born on July 13, 1932, in Casey County, Kentucky, she was a daughter of the late George Wesley Murphy and Lucy Jo Allen Murphy. Helena was a retired cook for Casey County High School. She was a member of Walnut Hill Separate Baptist Church where she was also a former Sunday school teacher. She loved gardening, cooking, quilting, and crocheting.

Helena is survived by a grandson, Tyson (and Rachel R.) McDonald; and six grandchildren, Ella G. McDonald, Abigail L. McDonald, Wyatt C. McDonald, Hayden R. McDonald, Anna K. McDonald, and Connor T. McDonald.

In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her husband, Lonzy Lee “Red” McDonald; two sons, Gary Lee McDonald and Richard Curtis McDonald; three sisters, Mattie Decker, Myrtle Harmon, and Irene Lay; and seven brothers, Sherman Murphy, Sherwood Murphy, Kenneth Murphy, Edwin Murphy, Fred Murphy, James Murphy, and Claud Murphy.

The funeral service will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Saturday, March 21, 2026, at Walnut Hill Separate Baptist Church with Bro. Rodney Smith officiating. Burial will follow in Murphy Cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 1:00 P.M. to 2:00 P.M. on Saturday, March 21, 2026, at Walnut Hill Separate Baptist Church.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, contributions of sympathy may take the form of donations to Green Forests Work at (TP Cooper Building) 730 Rose Street, Lexington, KY 40546.

Arrangements for Mrs. Helena McDonald are entrusted to McKinney-Brown Funeral Home. An online guestbook is available at www.mckinneybrown.com.