Don was born and raised in Richmond (Varina), VA and was an active member of Four Mile Creek Baptist Church. He graduated from Varina High School in 1970 where he played football and ran track.
He achieved an Associate of Science degree at Bluefield Jr. College in 1972 where he also played basketball and served on several revival teams that traveled throughout Virginia. After receiving a Bachelor of Science degree from Carson Newman College in 1974, he went on to get a Master of Science degree from Virginia Tech.
Don taught physical education and served as Assistant Principal for 38 years in three school systems in Virginia: Roanoke County, Richmond County and Roanoke City. He also coached football, basketball and track and was the line coach at Patrick Henry High School when the football team went to the state semi-finals.
In 1993 he felt the call to ministry while serving in youth ministry at Salem Baptist Church and was licensed to preach. In 1995, Don was ordained to the ministry, also by Salem Baptist.
While teaching in Roanoke City, Don also served as Pastor of Riverland Road Baptist Church for 22 years. During his time at RRBC, he studied at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago which included extension classes in Hudson and Orlando, Florida.
For over 14 years Don and his wife Mary Etta have been spending a month on the Standing Rock Sioux reservation serving in Tipi Wakan church in Cannon Ball, North Dakota and the Prairie Bible Church in McLaughlin, South Dakota.
Don and Mary Etta have two children and four grandchildren.
