My friend Donnie went to be with the Lord on September 20, 2023. He was 81 years old, but until the last couple of years he was so young for his age. He and Mary were perfectly suited for one another and the love they shared was obvious to all. Focused on loving and serving others, they were a dynamic team. Reading through Donnie’s obituary, one can get an idea of the dedication to loving and caring for others that was such a part of his heart. It began at home with his beautiful wife and daughters, his love extended to his sons-in-law and grandchildren. He spoke of all of them often. His spirit of care and compassion carried over into the lives of all who knew him.
When I arrived at Forsythe more than 15 years ago, Donnie was on board to welcome me and help me feel at home in the congregation. Donnie was over the building and grounds and this came very naturally to him. I remember his tireless efforts to keep the building up to code (something he did for Chase in one part of his career). It did make me grin to see how determined he was that everything was just right. Whenever someone was working at the building to repair something, Donnie was standing over them to observe (and I think sometimes to correct). When the lawn was being mowed, he wanted to know about it.
It was during Donnie’s term as deacon that all of the locks of the building were keyed alike (except for a few). He relentlessly kept the emergency and exit lights in working order (something that doesn’t come easy in a 50+ year-old building). There just wasn’t anything that escaped his attention. This, of course, was humorous to me. It seemed to me that he worried about things that no one else even noticed, but those details would often prove important in unexpected ways. His attentive care to the church building was a reflection of his desire to do things right and a reflection of his devotion to Christ. Donnie took his responsibility seriously and it showed in excellent ways.
Donnie wasn’t a lone wolf, he always involved others and in that way he was a continual encouraging presence. One of his main partners in the church work was Ronnie Teague. “Ronnie and Donnie",” a phrase oft repeated in the halls of Forsythe Church of Christ. Their deep friendship was wonderful to observe and appreciate. You might find them repairing a door that had malfunctioned or poring over the plans of the building, trying to figure out the plumbing of the baptistery. Oh, they worked on that baptismal pool relentlessly.
I remember once that my office chair had had enough of supporting me and needed to be replaced. But, Donnie and Ronnie were of the generation that you do not throw anything away and everything can probably be fixed. I told them that it would just be easier to get a new chair. This is one of the times when they couldn’t get it fixed, but they spent a good hour trying. I think they took a hammer to it at one point! You have to love them for that effort. They had a storage closet at the church building and I expect about anything you might need to make a repair was in that closet. And I happen to know that Donnie has a storage building that is jammed full of containers of nuts, bolts, and screws - many of them left over from projects. “You never know when you might need that.” That was a life motto for Donnie.
I know these are all church-related reflections, but that’s how I knew Donnie, and most of my friends here. When I came along his daughters were grown and raising their own families. He loved Ouachita Christian School and was proud that his children went there. He was retired when I knew him. But he told stories of working out of town when he had to in order to provide for his family. He pointed out the donated items that he brought into the Forsythe facility. He had a favorite story about an ice machine that he liked to tell, but I shouldn’t rehearse it. To go anywhere with Donnie was to be introduced to the city he called home. He seemed to know everyone. But Mary was never far from his mind, nor far from his presence.
I have always been aware that the church provided me with many fathers, men who invested in me and helped me grow. Donnie was one of those. I was drawn to him because of his compassion, the easy way that tears flowed from his eyes when he was touched by someone’s pain, his tireless efforts to love others, and his continual smile. I never doubted that he cared for me and my family. Not long after we moved here he gave us a nice television. It was the old-fashioned kind, a big box that took up a lot of room. But we were grateful. One Christmas not long after that, he drove with me up to a Sears outlet and bought a nice flatscreen TV and gave it to us. He had solicited funds from several members, so it was a church effort. That was so kind. And we are still watching television on that nice set.
Donnie was fun to be around. You never had to think of something to talk about, because he was a talker (and that’s an understatement). He often told me the same stories he had told me many times. I probably rolled my eyes a time or two. It didn’t stop him. There was one great story that involved Dr. White Graves and a raccoon hunt and a game warden, but I may not remember it all correctly. Maybe you should ask White about it!
And I think that’s why the vascular dementia that began to steal his memories was so painful to watch. He couldn’t tell his stories anymore. Even if he tried.
So I hate to say goodbye to my friend Donnie, but I’m so happy for him now. He has stepped into glory, saved by the blood of Jesus. I hope he is still telling his stories. However long it takes, I know he will be watching for his sweet Mary one day. Our tears are for us, and the empty place that will bring us tears for some time to come. All we can do for now is turn to the one who placed eternity in the hearts of men and receive comfort and grace from His Spirit.
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. - Ecclesiastes 3:11
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. - 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
You who are my Comforter in sorrow, my heart is faint within me. - Jeremiah 8:18
You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. - Psalm 56:8-9 NLT
“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” -John 11:25
And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. - Romans 5:5
Goodbye, Donnie, my friend.
W
What a beautiful tribute! I would love to have Donnie as a friend.