Claiborne “Buddy” McDonald IV, age 75, of Picayune, Mississippi entered eternal rest on January 1, 2024.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, January 4, 2024 from 5:00 PM until 9:00 PM at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church; and also visitation Friday, January 5, 2024 from 10:00 until 12:00PM at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Friday, January 5, 2024 at 12:00PM at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church.

Services are under the direction of McDonald Funeral Home.

Buddy was preceded in death by his parents, Claiborne McDonald III and Edith Rapp McDonald.

He is survived by his wife: Suzy Stockstill McDonald, his brother Steve (Ann) McDonald, sons: Hugh Claiborne (Heather) McDonald, Neil Sullivan Angus (Kelsey) McDonald, daughters: Emily Bowman (Joshua) Nowell, Erin Bowman (Corey) Smith, grandchildren: Savannah Smith, Sterling Smith, Mason McDonald, Samuel Nowell, Teddy Nowell, Malcolm McDonald, Irene Nowell, Everett Smith, Mills McDonald, Isobel McDonald, Duke Smith, Maddox McDonald, and Eleanor Nowell.

Buddy was a graduate of Picayune Memorial High School, Mississippi State University, and The University of Alabama School of Law. He also did post graduate work in Criminal Justice at the University of Southern Mississippi, completed the National College of District Attorneys Career Prosecutors Course, Experienced Prosecutors Course, Homicide Prosecutors Course and numerous other educational courses.

Buddy served as an Instructor in the National College of District Attorneys Career Prosecutors Course and trained other prosecutors from all around the country in various courses pertaining to Prosecution of Criminal activities.

Buddy was admitted to legal practice before the Mississippi Supreme Court, all Chancery and Circuit Courts within the State of Mississippi, The United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, The United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and The Supreme Court of the United States of America.

Buddy has served in numerous legal capacities in his 50 years of practicing law. He began in private practice from 1973-1984. He served as Municipal Judge in the City of Picayune and City Attorney for the City of Picayune. He was elected County Prosecuting Attorney of Pearl River County. He served for 16 years as Assistant District Attorney for the Fifteenth Circuit Court District of Mississippi, serving 5 counties. He was elected twice as District Attorney for the Fifteenth Circuit Court District of Mississippi. He retired in 2007 and became a Partner in the McDonald and Patch Law Firm, where he represented, among others, the Pearl River County Board of Supervisors, Pearl River Community College, and Pearl River County Hospital and Nursing Home. He also served as Municipal Prosecutor for the City of Poplarville, Mississippi.

He ”unretired” in 2016 and was elected three times as Circuit Court Judge of the Fifteenth District Court of the State of Mississippi, where he served until his death.

Buddy served as a member of the following Boards and Commissions: Mississippi State Board of Law Enforcement Standards and Training, Mississippi Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Criminal Rules of Practice and Procedure, Mississippi Legislative Advisory Committee on Redrafting Mississippi Criminal Code, Mississippi Legislative Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice, Board of Directors of Pearl River Valley Opportunity.

Buddy served as an officer in the following associations: Commissioner of Mississippi State Bar, State President of the Mississippi Prosecutor’s Association, Director of the National Board of Directors of the National District Attorney’s Association, President of the Pearl River County Bar Association.

Buddy was a Fellow of the Mississippi Bar and a Member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys.

In addition to his career in public service, he proudly represented his community as Past President of the Greater Picayune Chamber of Commerce, Past President and Paul Harris Fellow of the Picayune Rotary Club, a Director of Picayune Main Street, Judge Advocate of the Picayune American Legion, and as a Board Member of the “Puttin on the Pink” Breast Cancer Foundation in Picayune.

Buddy served as an Officer in the United States Army Reserve and National Guard. He was a graduate of the U. S. Army Command and General Staff College. He was Branch Qualified in the Transportation Corps, Quartermaster Corps, Judge Advocate General Corps. He attained the rank of Captain and was Honorably Discharged at that rank.

Buddy was a member of St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Picayune, MS and was a member of the Knights of Columbus.

He will always be remembered for his quick wit and dry humor, his professional work ethic, as a loyal supporter of law enforcement and advocate for victims of crime, and, in general, as a friend to many.

He will be missed by his family, his many friends and his professional peers, and fellow public servants.

Eternal Rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul, and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.