Terence “Terry” McDonald, born in Boston and raised in Burlington, passed away January 14, 2026, he was 65 years old. He was the middle child of the late Virginia “Ginny” (Faulstich) and William “Bill” McDonald, Jr.  Terry is survived by his sisters Ann Capozzi (Lou) of Venice, FL and Falmouth, MA; Janet Donovan (Jack) of Roselle, IL; and his brother Robert “Bob” McDonald (Jenny) of Reading, MA.  Terry also leaves behind several nieces and nephews, as well as a grandnephews and nieces.  He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother William “Billy” McDonald III.  

After graduating valedictorian from Burlington High School class of 1978, Terry left for Princeton, where he earned a BSE in chemical engineering with highest honors, then continued his studies at MIT.  MS in chemical engineering practice degree in hand, Terry joined his professor at Merix Corporation, a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)-funded R&D firm.  As chief engineering scientist, he oversaw all projects and engineering staff delivering prototypes for surgical devices and aerospace materials to NASA, the Department of Defense, and the NIH.

Upon leaving Merix, Terry became an independent consultant for ACT Medical Inc., assisting in the design, development, testing, and qualification of new medical devices.  In particular, he supervised the production of equipment designed to process liquid crystal polymer (LCP) thermoplastic resins into high-performance, thin-walled, and flexible tubing.

Eventually, Terry found his way to Genzyme/Sanofi, as the chief technician for the Facilities Engineering team, he was responsible for smart systems controlling Genzyme’s green building, the first privately financed LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum rated office building in the US.  He largely taught himself how to operate the technology for the Building Management System (BMS), in fact, was often called upon for help by the company that initially developed the technology. 

When not working, Terry spent time doing what he liked best—solving complex math problems for fun, reading endless books of varying types, watching all genres of movies, and collecting comic books.  He could often be found at the Burlington Public Library reading up on celebrity news, as well as current events.  From history, local happenings, and breaking news to technology and popular culture, Terry’s wealth of knowledge never ceased to amaze.  He applied the same strategic logic he used as a Massachusetts state top-ranked high school chess player in pursuing a variety of interests, whether it be cooking or learning the ins and outs of IT.

Terry belonged to the American Institute of Chemists, Inc. (AIC), as well as generously supporting the Archdiocese of Boston. He was a devout member of St. Veronica Parish.

All services will be privately held later in the Spring.