| Donnie C's Page |
Jan. 1, 2009, I had a wonderful, rambling talk with Donnie and interviewed him
for his bio. He has such a warm, friendly voice. Here's the bio:
On Dec. 21, 1941, the good Dr. Pittman delivered Donnie at his grandparents'
house 3 miles south of Belton on Shanklin Rd. His family lived in the country
and didn't have electricity, butane, or phone until he was in first grade. Their
first phone was on a four-party line. He started school in Salado, then went to
Tarver Elementary for second and third grades, transferring to brand-new
Southwest Elementary for fourth grade. His old homeplace is under Stillhouse
Lake.
After high school, he joined the Army and served for 2 years, first at Fort
Leonard Wood, MO; then at Fort Knox in Kentucky; then at Fort Polk, LA. He
attended a commercial college in Temple, then started to work for the
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad on Dec. 8, 1964. He's just celebrated 44
years with the railroad, and is still enjoying his work as Training Coordinator
for the Gulf Division.
He will celebrate his 29th Anniversary with his second wife, Shirley, on January
5, 2009. They have two children. Daughter Tracey, age 29, is the mother of
11-year-old Brady, the 6th-grade quarterback in Dublin, Texas---Donnie says he
has a good arm and will go far. Donnie, Jr., is 26 and he and wife Tabitha have
a beautiful 4-year-old daughter, Shelby---who's the apple of his grandpa's eye!
Donnie loves it that they live only about 3 miles away.
As for pets, he and Shirley have four goats, and feed eight or nine deer who
have eaten up their shrubbery. Donnie says, "I like to watch the deer. They're
beautiful animals." His last dog, an Australian Shepherd/Doberman, is no more,
but they have a cat called "Newt."
"As in Newt Gingrich?" I asked.
"No, as in 'neutered," responded Donnie.
For fun, he and Shirley like to go to their place a stone's throw from Lake
Brownwood, where they hunt, fish, and just enjoy Nature. He also fishes on
Lake Belton and Stillhouse Lake. He loves being outside---even enjoys
mowing the grass. He remarked that the area has been under a burn-ban for
months, as it has been very dry.
He reads his Bible every morning when he gets up, at 4:30, and enjoys reading
other spiritual lit. He reads a lot at work to keep up with all the regulations,
which he needs to know well enough to teach to his trainees.
He asked about several of his old buddies. Told about the time Walt, Lynn, and
George came out and slept in the barn. When Walt's mom found out they'd
slept in the barn, she wouldn't let him sleep over again. Walt tended to
sleepwalk...
I asked if he still wears the same size pants as he wore in high school, and he
allowed that he's now 6'1" and weighs 220---just right, in my estimation.
It will be great to see Donnie again and meet Shirley when we have our 50th.
He assures me that he will send photos!
for his bio. He has such a warm, friendly voice. Here's the bio:
On Dec. 21, 1941, the good Dr. Pittman delivered Donnie at his grandparents'
house 3 miles south of Belton on Shanklin Rd. His family lived in the country
and didn't have electricity, butane, or phone until he was in first grade. Their
first phone was on a four-party line. He started school in Salado, then went to
Tarver Elementary for second and third grades, transferring to brand-new
Southwest Elementary for fourth grade. His old homeplace is under Stillhouse
Lake.
After high school, he joined the Army and served for 2 years, first at Fort
Leonard Wood, MO; then at Fort Knox in Kentucky; then at Fort Polk, LA. He
attended a commercial college in Temple, then started to work for the
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad on Dec. 8, 1964. He's just celebrated 44
years with the railroad, and is still enjoying his work as Training Coordinator
for the Gulf Division.
He will celebrate his 29th Anniversary with his second wife, Shirley, on January
5, 2009. They have two children. Daughter Tracey, age 29, is the mother of
11-year-old Brady, the 6th-grade quarterback in Dublin, Texas---Donnie says he
has a good arm and will go far. Donnie, Jr., is 26 and he and wife Tabitha have
a beautiful 4-year-old daughter, Shelby---who's the apple of his grandpa's eye!
Donnie loves it that they live only about 3 miles away.
As for pets, he and Shirley have four goats, and feed eight or nine deer who
have eaten up their shrubbery. Donnie says, "I like to watch the deer. They're
beautiful animals." His last dog, an Australian Shepherd/Doberman, is no more,
but they have a cat called "Newt."
"As in Newt Gingrich?" I asked.
"No, as in 'neutered," responded Donnie.
For fun, he and Shirley like to go to their place a stone's throw from Lake
Brownwood, where they hunt, fish, and just enjoy Nature. He also fishes on
Lake Belton and Stillhouse Lake. He loves being outside---even enjoys
mowing the grass. He remarked that the area has been under a burn-ban for
months, as it has been very dry.
He reads his Bible every morning when he gets up, at 4:30, and enjoys reading
other spiritual lit. He reads a lot at work to keep up with all the regulations,
which he needs to know well enough to teach to his trainees.
He asked about several of his old buddies. Told about the time Walt, Lynn, and
George came out and slept in the barn. When Walt's mom found out they'd
slept in the barn, she wouldn't let him sleep over again. Walt tended to
sleepwalk...
I asked if he still wears the same size pants as he wore in high school, and he
allowed that he's now 6'1" and weighs 220---just right, in my estimation.
It will be great to see Donnie again and meet Shirley when we have our 50th.
He assures me that he will send photos!