Donald Paul Garner's Obituary
CHARLESTON, IL - Donald Paul Garner, age 83 of Charleston, died on Saturday, August 31, 2013 at Charleston Rehabilitation and Health Care Center. A private graveside service will be held at Roselawn Cemetery in Charleston with a memorial gathering to be held at a later date. It is requested that in lieu of flowers thoughtful donations in his honor be made to a local charity of the donor's preference including Soup Stop, Food Pantry, Coalition For People in Need, and Lincolnland Hospice. Gifts may be mailed to Adams Funeral Chapel, 2330 Shawnee Dr., Charleston, IL 61920. Don was born on November 5, 1929 in Kennett, Missouri, the son of the late Robert Lee and Alverta (Stevens) Garner. He married Suellyn Lindsey on June 12, 1966. He is survived by Suellyn, his wife of forty-seven years; two sons and three grandchildren, Josh and wife Dedre and their children MacKenzie and Logan of Broken Arrow, OK; and Dirk and wife Zarina and their son Aidan Paul Truckenbrod of Berea, OH; and two nieces. In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by a sister, Bobbie Lou Alsup and one nephew. Don was a 1947 graduate of Kennett High School in Missouri and attained his Bachelor's Degree in Speech and English in 1951 from Harding University in Searcy, AR. He earned a Master's Degree in Speech and Theatre in 1953 at Kent State University in Ohio and completed further study at Ohio State University for a summer and one semester. He began teaching at David Lipscomb University in Nashville, TN during which time he was drafted by the U.S. Army and served in the Korean War. He returned to Nashville for a semester and one year then enrolled at Wayne State University in Detroit, MI. After completing course work there, he taught for two years at the University of Maryland with a program that educated American soldiers based in European installations. Following his return to Wayne State and completing his PhD, he moved to Charleston, IL and taught at Eastern Illinois University from 1963 - 94. During that period he served as chair of the Department of Speech for 11 years. Don's career included teaching, publishing, graphic layout and design, editing, directing theatre, lecturing, and consulting. He was an avid reader, a collector of sheet music, a published author and possessed a passion for photography. His love for travel took him to all the states of the Union, most of them two or three times, and 37 countries during his lifetime. He was an active participant in professional organizations, serving as presenter and officer during his career. Locally, he served as president of the Charleston Historical Society. He was on the board at Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site, Retired Senior Volunteer Program, and Charleston Community Theatre. Don will be missed by students, friends and especially by his family, all of whom his love, wisdom and intellect served well. All were welcome at his fireside.
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