Don Lewis Etter

Don Lewis Etter, 77, died Tuesday, May 12, 2009, at his residence in Abilene. The son of Madge Exa (Lewis) and Frank H. Etter, Sr., Don was born on October 5, 1931 in Big Spring, Texas. He was a 1948 graduate of Abilene High School and received his degree from Abilene Christian University in 1955. He was a U. S. Air Force veteran of the Korean Conflict, and served in the Air Force Band in Washington, DC and Goodfellow AFB. Don married Carolyn Jo Turner on December 27, 1955 in University Church of Christ, then College Church of Christ. He was a member and deacon of University Church of Christ. Don was a resident of Abilene most all of his life, having lived briefly in Big Spring, Wichita Falls and Snyder (1959-69). A retired travel agent, he had been a partner in Supertravel for 28 years. After retiring from Supertravel, he was involved with Rodeo Sports Tours for many years. He was a Rotary Club member and Paul Harris Fellow, and a former member of Sub-T-16 Social Club at ACU. He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Patsy Orr; brother-in-law, Horace Turner, Jr.; and sister-in-law, Tommye Combest. Don is survived by his wife, Jo Etter; sons, Greg Etter and wife, Tina, and Cary Dan Etter and wife, Lisa; and four grandchildren, Christin, Carly, Lily, and Miles Etter, all of Abilene. Survivors also include his brother, Frank Etter, Jr. and wife, Mildred, of Boerne, Texas; brothers-in-law, Dan Turner and wife, Nina, of Altus, Oklahoma, and Robert Orr and wife, Linda, of Dallas; sisters-in-law, Sammye Lale and Ouida Leese of Abilene, and Martina Turner of Fort Worth; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Thursday, May 14th, at University Church of Christ officiated by Bill Young and Larry Calvin. Interment will be in Elmwood Memorial Park directed by The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road. The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Nephews, John Turner, Bill Turner, Van Combest, Paul Combest, Rob Leese, Douglas Orr, Jim Orr and Eric Etter, will serve as pallbearers. M. L. Daniels, James Cawyer, Bob Kuykendall and Noble (Spike) Harris will be honorary pallbearers. The family expresses special thanks to the nurses and caregivers at Hendrick Hospice Care for all of their wonderful care. Memorials may be made to Christian Service Center, 901 Mesquite St., Abilene, TX 79601.