Donovan Russell Cumbie

Donovan Russell Cumbie was born in Athens on Feb. 12, 1946 to Grady Lee Cumbie and Dorothey Louise Cliver Cumbie.

Don graduated from Rockdale High School in Ma y o f 1964 where he was president

Col. Cumbie

of the student body and was a member of the National Honor Society.

He attended Texas A&M University on a Junior Engineering Technology (JETS) scholarship. He was in the ROTC at A&M and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army.

After graduating in the Class of 1968, he received a degree in mechanical engineering and later a master of systems management from the University of Southern California.

Following graduation from TAMU, he entered the U.S. Army and served his country for 28 years.

After being stationed in many locations in the United States, he became the Aviation Battalion Commander at Fort Rucker (Alabama) Army Flight School. Following his battalion command, Don served as the Director of Evaluation and Standardization for the U.S. Army.

In 1992 he became the professor of military science at Texas A&M, where he served for three years. Following his retirement, he worked at Texas A&M as the Director of Employee Training. Don then became the Human Resources Director at the Texas Forest Service where he served as an investigator.

Following retirement from the Forest Service he devoted himself to Texas A&M sports—football, basketball, baseball, you name it, and he was there!

Don was an avid golfer and had many golfing buddies. He was a Mason, a member of the Rotary Club, Army Aviation Association of America, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Army War College Alumni Association. During his 28 years in the Army, he made many friends in many locations and enjoyed keeping in touch with them.

He was a member of First Baptist Church in College Station for the past twelve years and enjoyed the camaraderie of his Sunday School class.

He was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. He also enjoyed hearing a good joke and sharing them with others.

Don wa s pr e c eded in death by his parents, Grady and Louise Cumbie; his mother and father-inlaw, Weldon and Dorothy Coleman; and his beloved daughter, Heather Leigh Cannon.

He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Nancy Cumbie; his sisters, Darleen Tucker (Durwood), Rosemary Lawrence, (Royce); brother-inlaw Ronnie Coleman (Shelly) and son-in-law Danny Cannon, and grandchildren Alexander Peden and Aidan Cannon.

Don’s services will be held on Thursday, Nov. 30, at First Baptist Church of College Station, with visitation at 1 p.m. and funeral service at 2 p.m. Following the funeral, Don will be buried in the Aggie Field of Honor in College Station.

The family requests donations and memorials be made to the American Heart Association.

Please visit www.hillierfuneralhome. com to share deepest condolences and expressions of gratitude for Don and a life well lived.