Georgette Braun: Alzheimer’s tears at family of admired local actor

Thousands of Rockfordians remember Rod MacDonald as “Roddy Mac,” the funny, tassled-hat-wearing star of thousands of WREX-TV kids shows in the 1950s and ’60s.

Robert Greenblatt, NBC entertainment chairman, remembers him as the Boylan Catholic High School theater director in the 1970s who was a big influence on his career.

Richard Raether, Artists’ Ensemble Theater artistic director, remembers Rod in 2007 playing a completely believable actor lying in bed, dying, in a show at Rockford College.

While fond memories of Rod, 87, abound, Rod himself isn’t remembering so well these days. He has Alzheimer’s disease.

And the disease — the fifth-leading cause of death for those age 65 and older — is splitting his family. It’s an all-too-common side effect of the devastating disease.

At issue is who should care for Rod and where, and it’s the subject of a court battle between his wife and his children.

Jessica MacDonald, Rod’s wife of 23 years, placed him nearly two months ago in the LaSalle Veterans Home, which operates an Alzheimer’s wing. It’s a 90-minute drive south of Rockford and is more affordable than facilities closer to here, Jessica said.

Rod gave her power of attorney in 1998 to act on his behalf.

But his three children from his marriage to Ginny, who died of cancer, want their father to return to Rockford. They want him to be closer, in more familiar, stimulating surroundings, cared for by family.

Scott MacDonald, his son, has filed a lawsuit in Winnebago County court to gain guardianship of his father, and Jessica has countered. The next court hearing is Friday.

Rod’s daughter Sarah Aumann of Rockford has taken the children’s case to Facebook, creating a Friends of Rod MacDonald page.

The page features video that daughter Kate MacDonald of Wofford Heights, Calif., shot at the veterans home with Scott and Sarah at Rod’s side. In it, he talks about wanting to go home and threatens to hurt himself if that doesn’t happen.

Jessica said Rod is lucid at times, but at other times doesn’t recognize her or others or know where home is.

Scott told me he wants to care for his dad at Scott’s home in Rockford. He said he would quit his Better Business Bureau job to care for him if need be.

“It is not a wise plan,” Jessica told me.

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Georgette Braun: Alzheimer’s tears at family of admired local actor