John Paul Donlin Iii

John Paul Donlin III was born on July 24, 1941 to John Paul Donlin Jr. and Olivia Bertha Cmjadalka in Houston, Texas.

Reflection:

John Paul, Daddy, Dadaw, Uncle Johnny

As we reflect on our memories of John Paul Donlin, we probably all have stories we could tell. Those stories would include how he personally touched our lives through his kindness, his sense of humor, or an adventure we shared. For many of us those memories will come flooding back to us, and there will be tears for the loss we feel. When they dry, we will remember that we were blessed to have him in our lives.

John’s father died at an early age, and then his step-father passed when he was in his teens. He became the man of the house and helped support his mother, Olivia Peterson; sister, Cynthia Peterson; and two brothers, Gary and Roger Peterson. He stepped up to help his family again when his younger brother, Gary tragically died.

He started dating his wife Betty Donlin in 1961, and they were married September 8, 1962. That marriage lasted 53 years. The latter years were tough as they both battled cancer. They held true to their vows in sickness and in health, and supported each other with unfailing love.
They were blessed with three beautiful daughters, Debbie Cvar, Jennifer Pendergraft, and Cathy Grace; granddaughters, Maddie Cvar, Kiki Cvar, and Josie Pendergraft; and grandsons, Jack Pendergraft and Ryder Grace.

John served in the U. S. Navy and was stationed in New Orleans shortly after their marriage. Although many of us thought of this as a great vacation place to visit, his service there was less than a month after the Cuban missile crisis. Tensions were still high between the US and the Soviet Union, and his base was frequently on high alert. (He did have some downtime, since that is where Debbie was born.)

After the Navy, John used his mechanical skills to work in the airline industry. His longest tenure was first as a mechanic for Braniff Airlines and then as a maintenance supervisor for American Airlines. He retired from American after 31 years of service.

John’s mechanical and electrical skills came in to play every Christmas when he had to set up Betty’s snow village. It spread across two rooms and included every home “Studio 57” ever sold. This was a three day project, so after a couple of years, he kept detailed notes on how he set the display up. He left the tree decorating to Betty, and it was not uncommon to see those trees still up at Easter.

John made an effort to be a part of the holiday get-togethers, many times on little sleep after his night shift. Some might say he didn’t want to miss Betty’s cooking, and others that it was important to him to share in the joy of the holidays. He was a part of the Mimi magic. His home was always welcoming to friends and family.

In his younger years John loved to play baseball, fish, and hunt. Like many of us, he became a better fisherman and the fish got bigger each time he retold a story. Along with outdoor activities, John loved the companionship of his dogs. Many us remember Dusty, Duke, and Dash. He spent the time to train his pets, and of course they were smarter than the average dog. His last dog Dash provided comfort and a purpose to keep going after Betty died.

John was an avid reader. He enjoyed military history, science fiction, and the books of Tom Clancy, Stephen King, and Vince Flynn. When he watched television it was often tuned to the History channel, or some science program. He was the person you wanted as a partner in a Trivial Pursuit game. When he added input to a conversation an often used lead in was “A friend of mind said”. Whether a friend actually said the statement was never verified, it was just his way of joining in.

He was also an honorary life-time member of the Knights of Columbus, in which he was decorated as a 4th Degree Knight.

John and Betty took many vacations through the years. His favorite were the road trips. He drove the scenic route, Highway 7 through the Ozark’s, Highway 1 along the California coast, and that awful winding road in Hawaii. A memorable ride was the scenic Monterey route around Pebble Beach, where around every turn he would point at a house and say it used to be Bing Crosby’s house. Their favorite trips were the short drives to discover places to eat. Chicken fried steak: drive to Ponder; fried apricot pies: drive to Decatur; authentic kolaches: drive to West.
In the last few years, they traveled with a motor home to Red River, New Mexico. They reconnected with old friends and made new ones, while enjoying the cool fragrant air of the mountains.

His greatest love was his family and he demonstrated that love in countless ways.
One of the more humorous demonstrations of that love was in the practical things he would buy people. From a portable toilet for his Mother-in-Law (in case the septic system backed up) to tool sets for his nephews. John must have purchased a flashlight and batteries every time he went to the store. Oh, and battery testers too. He gifted these almost every holiday. As recently as Easter he bought a phone amplifier for his Mother-in-Law so she could hear the phone ring when he called.

John enjoyed his girls and attended their activities. He earned his good dad badge by sitting through Deb’s college play: "Becket". When Jenny shaved her head for a play in college, he assured her it would would grow back quickly, but she should have had more lines. When Cathy sang at the Grapevine Opry, he let everyone know she was the best.

He enjoyed his grandchildren. He was a familiar face at the fence line of the Argyle football games that Madi and Kiki cheered in. He attended cheer competition for the girls, but he shouldn’t get full credit because he didn’t wear his hearing aids. He had memorable times with his younger grand children. He took Jack to his first rodeo where they donned matching cowboy hats. He wore knee pads under his jeans to play on the floor with Ryder, and later had an elevated track for his trains and cars. As recently as Easter he was helping Josie learn to cast a fishing rod. Of course she already new what she was doing and told him so. It weighed heavily on him that he didn’t have more time with his precious grandchildren or grand nieces and nephews.

John Donlin was an honorable man. He provided a good living and a safe home for his family. He set a good example for his children and cared for their needs. He taught them life skills they would need. Need a dog pen built, or a garbage disposal changed out? His girls have the ability. He gave them room to make their own choices and was always there to lend a hand when they needed help.

He loved his wife and demonstrated that love in many ways. He loved his extended family and showed that love through many kind gestures. He was helpful and true to his friends.

He dealt with the responsibilities of life with a smile, and he fought the good fight until the Lord called his name. We can take comfort in knowing that he was lifted up in spirit through the love and prayers sent his way.

He joined his bride, Betty in heaven on July 8th. He leaves behind his daughter, Deborah Cvar and husband, Tim, and their children, Madison and Mackenzie; daughter, Jennifer Pendergraft and husband, Jason, and their children, John, David, and Josephine; and daughter, Cathrine Grace and husband, Joe; and their child, Ryder. Sister, Cynthia Grogan and husband, Don; brother, Roger Peterson and wife Cathy; brother-in-law, Jerry Brown and wife, Linda; and sister-in-law, Sandra Kopp and husband, Richard; as well as a host of nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and dear friends.