September 20, 1932 - January 27, 2018
OKLAHOMA CITY
Donald "Don" was no ordinary man. He was born in Kansas City to Ben and Eva Abbott, the third of four children. He grew up during The Depression and tested the limits of the adults around him with his older brother, Bob. Their favorite game was "fireman" where one of them would start a fire and the other one would have to find it and put it out. They were not always successful. Ben's career in the oil field, and the mischievous behavior of his older two sons, moved the family a lot, but they eventually settled in Edmond. Don always said that he served a brief tour in the Air Force due to "a personal invitation from Harry Truman" but the average person called it being drafted. It was during his military service that he decided to go to college because "it was no fun eating eggs in the rain." Don graduated from Central State College in 1954, with a bachelor's degree in business administration. He worked for the Dept. of Public Welfare (now DHS) from 1954 to 1958. During that time, he met and married Clentis McCoy, with whom he had three children, Donna, Larry and Prinda. He later attended OU, graduating in 1963 with a master's degree in social work. It was during this time that he was active in the civil rights movement. On July 29, 1960, he was at the Calvary Baptist Church in Oklahoma City to hear Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. give a speech and got to meet him and shake his hand. Don believed that everybody had some worth and chose to see the best in people. In 1966, he started working for the Mental Health Dept., located in the Kohler building in Lawton. He later chose Jesse Davenport to help him through that process, despite the uproar of racist people who thought that it was an outrage to put a Black man in such a high position. When those protesters threw trash in Don's yard, he just picked it up. He never argued with them and would listen respectfully and just keep on doing his work. It was that same community who later honored Jesse by naming a street after him. It was probably helpful that Jesse was a preacher because Don needed someone to look over him at times and talk trash about his golfing skills. Don was instrumental in the opening of the Taliaferro Community Mental Health Center in 1975, with Jesse at his side. Don worked with other leaders, like Marie Detty, to start several other services in Lawton, including Miller Manor, Helen Holiday House and the Crisis call center. In 1977, Don was named social worker of the year by the NASW and was given a lifetime achievement award in 2006. He became a board member of the OU School of Social Work in 2007. There are numerous other awards and organizations that he was involved in, including halfway houses for inmates and the Jesus House in Oklahoma City. He touched the lives of so many people across Oklahoma. He was an eternal optimist who never followed the crowd. He thought that traffic laws were for people who didn't know how to drive and stop signs were just a suggestion. He loved his motorcycle and the freedom it offered. He was a terrible driver and accidents were common, but he never stopped enjoying it. He was an adventurer and never missed an opportunity to explore something, even if it was technically off limits. He also thought that Do Not Enter signs were for everyone but him. It was impossible to be sad or bored in his presence, annoyed maybe, but not sad. He never lost his sense of play even though others might disapprove - such disapprovers like the manager of a department store who returned him and his grandchildren to his daughter because they would not stop playing on the escalator. That was not his last time playing on the escalator either. He was Peter Pan in explorations and Winnie the Pooh in trying to help others. He will be greatly missed by many people. He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Bob and Tom; daughter, Donna; and grandson, David. He is survived by his sister, Patricia; wife, Penny; children, Larry and Prinda; stepchildren, Heather, Nikki, and Tim; grandchildren, Vivian, Adam, Sara, and Eric; step-grandchildren, Cooper and Dalton; several great-grandchildren; and his beloved nieces and nephews. There will be no official public services. At his request, his body was donated for research. Memorial contributions could be made to the Jesus House in Oklahoma City ( jesushouseokc.org ) and/or OU School of Social Work. You can also honor his memory by helping others and having as many little adventures as possible.
Published in The Oklahoman, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Sunday, February 4, 2018, Page 21A.
OKLAHOMA CITY
Donald "Don" was no ordinary man. He was born in Kansas City to Ben and Eva Abbott, the third of four children. He grew up during The Depression and tested the limits of the adults around him with his older brother, Bob. Their favorite game was "fireman" where one of them would start a fire and the other one would have to find it and put it out. They were not always successful. Ben's career in the oil field, and the mischievous behavior of his older two sons, moved the family a lot, but they eventually settled in Edmond. Don always said that he served a brief tour in the Air Force due to "a personal invitation from Harry Truman" but the average person called it being drafted. It was during his military service that he decided to go to college because "it was no fun eating eggs in the rain." Don graduated from Central State College in 1954, with a bachelor's degree in business administration. He worked for the Dept. of Public Welfare (now DHS) from 1954 to 1958. During that time, he met and married Clentis McCoy, with whom he had three children, Donna, Larry and Prinda. He later attended OU, graduating in 1963 with a master's degree in social work. It was during this time that he was active in the civil rights movement. On July 29, 1960, he was at the Calvary Baptist Church in Oklahoma City to hear Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. give a speech and got to meet him and shake his hand. Don believed that everybody had some worth and chose to see the best in people. In 1966, he started working for the Mental Health Dept., located in the Kohler building in Lawton. He later chose Jesse Davenport to help him through that process, despite the uproar of racist people who thought that it was an outrage to put a Black man in such a high position. When those protesters threw trash in Don's yard, he just picked it up. He never argued with them and would listen respectfully and just keep on doing his work. It was that same community who later honored Jesse by naming a street after him. It was probably helpful that Jesse was a preacher because Don needed someone to look over him at times and talk trash about his golfing skills. Don was instrumental in the opening of the Taliaferro Community Mental Health Center in 1975, with Jesse at his side. Don worked with other leaders, like Marie Detty, to start several other services in Lawton, including Miller Manor, Helen Holiday House and the Crisis call center. In 1977, Don was named social worker of the year by the NASW and was given a lifetime achievement award in 2006. He became a board member of the OU School of Social Work in 2007. There are numerous other awards and organizations that he was involved in, including halfway houses for inmates and the Jesus House in Oklahoma City. He touched the lives of so many people across Oklahoma. He was an eternal optimist who never followed the crowd. He thought that traffic laws were for people who didn't know how to drive and stop signs were just a suggestion. He loved his motorcycle and the freedom it offered. He was a terrible driver and accidents were common, but he never stopped enjoying it. He was an adventurer and never missed an opportunity to explore something, even if it was technically off limits. He also thought that Do Not Enter signs were for everyone but him. It was impossible to be sad or bored in his presence, annoyed maybe, but not sad. He never lost his sense of play even though others might disapprove - such disapprovers like the manager of a department store who returned him and his grandchildren to his daughter because they would not stop playing on the escalator. That was not his last time playing on the escalator either. He was Peter Pan in explorations and Winnie the Pooh in trying to help others. He will be greatly missed by many people. He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Bob and Tom; daughter, Donna; and grandson, David. He is survived by his sister, Patricia; wife, Penny; children, Larry and Prinda; stepchildren, Heather, Nikki, and Tim; grandchildren, Vivian, Adam, Sara, and Eric; step-grandchildren, Cooper and Dalton; several great-grandchildren; and his beloved nieces and nephews. There will be no official public services. At his request, his body was donated for research. Memorial contributions could be made to the Jesus House in Oklahoma City ( jesushouseokc.org ) and/or OU School of Social Work. You can also honor his memory by helping others and having as many little adventures as possible.
Published in The Oklahoman, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Sunday, February 4, 2018, Page 21A.
September 20, 1932 - January 27, 2018
OKLAHOMA CITY
Donald "Don" was no ordinary man. He was born in Kansas City to Ben and Eva Abbott, the third of four children. He grew up during The Depression and tested the limits of the adults around him with his older brother, Bob. Their favorite game was "fireman" where one of them would start a fire and the other one would have to find it and put it out. They were not always successful. Ben's career in the oil field, and the mischievous behavior of his older two sons, moved the family a lot, but they eventually settled in Edmond. Don always said that he served a brief tour in the Air Force due to "a personal invitation from Harry Truman" but the average person called it being drafted. It was during his military service that he decided to go to college because "it was no fun eating eggs in the rain." Don graduated from Central State College in 1954, with a bachelor's degree in business administration. He worked for the Dept. of Public Welfare (now DHS) from 1954 to 1958. During that time, he met and married Clentis McCoy, with whom he had three children, Donna, Larry and Prinda. He later attended OU, graduating in 1963 with a master's degree in social work. It was during this time that he was active in the civil rights movement. On July 29, 1960, he was at the Calvary Baptist Church in Oklahoma City to hear Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. give a speech and got to meet him and shake his hand. Don believed that everybody had some worth and chose to see the best in people. In 1966, he started working for the Mental Health Dept., located in the Kohler building in Lawton. He later chose Jesse Davenport to help him through that process, despite the uproar of racist people who thought that it was an outrage to put a Black man in such a high position. When those protesters threw trash in Don's yard, he just picked it up. He never argued with them and would listen respectfully and just keep on doing his work. It was that same community who later honored Jesse by naming a street after him. It was probably helpful that Jesse was a preacher because Don needed someone to look over him at times and talk trash about his golfing skills. Don was instrumental in the opening of the Taliaferro Community Mental Health Center in 1975, with Jesse at his side. Don worked with other leaders, like Marie Detty, to start several other services in Lawton, including Miller Manor, Helen Holiday House and the Crisis call center. In 1977, Don was named social worker of the year by the NASW and was given a lifetime achievement award in 2006. He became a board member of the OU School of Social Work in 2007. There are numerous other awards and organizations that he was involved in, including halfway houses for inmates and the Jesus House in Oklahoma City. He touched the lives of so many people across Oklahoma. He was an eternal optimist who never followed the crowd. He thought that traffic laws were for people who didn't know how to drive and stop signs were just a suggestion. He loved his motorcycle and the freedom it offered. He was a terrible driver and accidents were common, but he never stopped enjoying it. He was an adventurer and never missed an opportunity to explore something, even if it was technically off limits. He also thought that Do Not Enter signs were for everyone but him. It was impossible to be sad or bored in his presence, annoyed maybe, but not sad. He never lost his sense of play even though others might disapprove - such disapprovers like the manager of a department store who returned him and his grandchildren to his daughter because they would not stop playing on the escalator. That was not his last time playing on the escalator either. He was Peter Pan in explorations and Winnie the Pooh in trying to help others. He will be greatly missed by many people. He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Bob and Tom; daughter, Donna; and grandson, David. He is survived by his sister, Patricia; wife, Penny; children, Larry and Prinda; stepchildren, Heather, Nikki, and Tim; grandchildren, Vivian, Adam, Sara, and Eric; step-grandchildren, Cooper and Dalton; several great-grandchildren; and his beloved nieces and nephews. There will be no official public services. At his request, his body was donated for research. Memorial contributions could be made to the Jesus House in Oklahoma City ( jesushouseokc.org ) and/or OU School of Social Work. You can also honor his memory by helping others and having as many little adventures as possible.
Published in The Oklahoman, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Sunday, February 4, 2018, Page 21A.
OKLAHOMA CITY
Donald "Don" was no ordinary man. He was born in Kansas City to Ben and Eva Abbott, the third of four children. He grew up during The Depression and tested the limits of the adults around him with his older brother, Bob. Their favorite game was "fireman" where one of them would start a fire and the other one would have to find it and put it out. They were not always successful. Ben's career in the oil field, and the mischievous behavior of his older two sons, moved the family a lot, but they eventually settled in Edmond. Don always said that he served a brief tour in the Air Force due to "a personal invitation from Harry Truman" but the average person called it being drafted. It was during his military service that he decided to go to college because "it was no fun eating eggs in the rain." Don graduated from Central State College in 1954, with a bachelor's degree in business administration. He worked for the Dept. of Public Welfare (now DHS) from 1954 to 1958. During that time, he met and married Clentis McCoy, with whom he had three children, Donna, Larry and Prinda. He later attended OU, graduating in 1963 with a master's degree in social work. It was during this time that he was active in the civil rights movement. On July 29, 1960, he was at the Calvary Baptist Church in Oklahoma City to hear Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. give a speech and got to meet him and shake his hand. Don believed that everybody had some worth and chose to see the best in people. In 1966, he started working for the Mental Health Dept., located in the Kohler building in Lawton. He later chose Jesse Davenport to help him through that process, despite the uproar of racist people who thought that it was an outrage to put a Black man in such a high position. When those protesters threw trash in Don's yard, he just picked it up. He never argued with them and would listen respectfully and just keep on doing his work. It was that same community who later honored Jesse by naming a street after him. It was probably helpful that Jesse was a preacher because Don needed someone to look over him at times and talk trash about his golfing skills. Don was instrumental in the opening of the Taliaferro Community Mental Health Center in 1975, with Jesse at his side. Don worked with other leaders, like Marie Detty, to start several other services in Lawton, including Miller Manor, Helen Holiday House and the Crisis call center. In 1977, Don was named social worker of the year by the NASW and was given a lifetime achievement award in 2006. He became a board member of the OU School of Social Work in 2007. There are numerous other awards and organizations that he was involved in, including halfway houses for inmates and the Jesus House in Oklahoma City. He touched the lives of so many people across Oklahoma. He was an eternal optimist who never followed the crowd. He thought that traffic laws were for people who didn't know how to drive and stop signs were just a suggestion. He loved his motorcycle and the freedom it offered. He was a terrible driver and accidents were common, but he never stopped enjoying it. He was an adventurer and never missed an opportunity to explore something, even if it was technically off limits. He also thought that Do Not Enter signs were for everyone but him. It was impossible to be sad or bored in his presence, annoyed maybe, but not sad. He never lost his sense of play even though others might disapprove - such disapprovers like the manager of a department store who returned him and his grandchildren to his daughter because they would not stop playing on the escalator. That was not his last time playing on the escalator either. He was Peter Pan in explorations and Winnie the Pooh in trying to help others. He will be greatly missed by many people. He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Bob and Tom; daughter, Donna; and grandson, David. He is survived by his sister, Patricia; wife, Penny; children, Larry and Prinda; stepchildren, Heather, Nikki, and Tim; grandchildren, Vivian, Adam, Sara, and Eric; step-grandchildren, Cooper and Dalton; several great-grandchildren; and his beloved nieces and nephews. There will be no official public services. At his request, his body was donated for research. Memorial contributions could be made to the Jesus House in Oklahoma City ( jesushouseokc.org ) and/or OU School of Social Work. You can also honor his memory by helping others and having as many little adventures as possible.
Published in The Oklahoman, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Sunday, February 4, 2018, Page 21A.
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