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Les McDonald was born on February 25, 1921, to George and Isabella McDonald, nee Smith. He grew up in Aldergrove and graduated from Langley High School. He was friends with many local figures, including Les Williams and Lloyd Ross. He studied at UBC for a year before taking a one year teaching position teaching grade 8 at the Murrayville School. He was only 19 when he started teaching, and did not care for it. He enlisted in the Canadian military and served overseas in WWII with the 4th Armoured Tank Division. When the war was over he went back to UBC and joined the universities first law class. When he graduated he moved to Langley with his new wife, Rosette, whom he had married in 1950. Les founded the law firm known as McDonald, Boyle and Jeffery. He was appointed magistrate for Langley, later becoming the magistrate serving Matsqui, Langley and Surrey. He was later appointed county court judge in New Westminster. He also belonged to Liberal political groups, the Kinsmen, Masons, and the Chamber of Commerce. They had three children: Mary Jane, Donald Angus, and Joseph George. Les died on October 4, 1985, and is buried in the Aberdeen Cemetery with his family. As of 2023 his law firm was still running.

Rosette McDonald moved to Langley in 1950 when she married her husband, Les McDonald. Rosette had met Les several years before when they were both studying at UBC. Rosette had been a teacher, and her own work had brought her to the Caribou. During the Second World War she worked for Boeing for 6 months, tracking airplane parts. A shortage of teachers brought her back to the classroom. The war was a stressful time for her, she would lose a brother and several cousins.