Donald LeRoy Whitsett

Donald LeRoy Whitsett, 81, of Pasadena, Texas, passed away peacefully on March 20, 2020 after a long battle with prostate cancer, at home with his loving family by his side. Don was born February 19, 1939, in Milan, Indiana to Francis Lewis Whitsett and Mary Kathryn (Linville) Whitsett. Welcoming him home was half-brother Bill (William Richard Bruce) who was six years his senior.

Don enjoyed reading Western books, viewing Western movies, and spending time at the beach camping with his family. He was an avid roller coaster rider and always took his children and later his grandchildren along with him. He often had season passes to AstroWorld and went a record 42 times in one summer! A heart attack in 2001 prevented him from riding the extreme roller coasters after that time, but he still managed to ride the milder rides. He precisely followed his doctor’s orders about his diet, and walked 3 miles every day, later increasing it to 6 miles. Don also enjoyed attending baseball games, especially the Cincinnati Reds and later the Houston Astros. And he was keenly interested in the weather, noting the high and low temperature in his daily journal for many years.

Much of Don’s boyhood was spent with his maternal grandparents, Pirl and Leona (Hamilton) Linville on their farm, while his mother worked as a beautician in Madison, Indiana. At age 14, he worked with his father as an electrician’s helper roughing-in houses in the Dallas, Texas area. At 17 years of age, he joined the Air Force and was stationed at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. Returning from the Air Force, he worked in the Cincinnati, OH – Newport, KY area in construction and electrical work for many years.

He worked as a Supervisor in the Shipping & Receiving Dept. at Pogue’s Department Store in Cincinnati, Ohio where he met his wife, Janet Kay Enwiller, who was working in the Invoice Payables Dept. They were married July 4, 1969. Their son, Mark Brian was born the following year. Later, both Don and Janet attended and graduated from Lexington Barber College, both with Master Barbers licenses. He then worked as a barber in Erlanger and Newport, KY.

Daughter Donna Dawn was born in Kentucky, the family moved to Rosholt, South Dakota – where Janet grew up – to operate Don & Jan’s Fireside Inn Supper Club. Their third child, Joshua Job was born in Minnesota. The family then moved to Houston, Texas in 1980. Don & Janet enjoyed AstroWorld in later years and made frequent visits to San Antonio and Fredericksburg, Texas.

Survivors include his wife Janet of Pasadena, TX, son Mark of Santa Fe, TX, son Joshua of Deer Park, TX, and daughter Dr. Donna Whitsett and husband William Gardner Cone III of Signal Mountain, TN. Grandchildren include Destynee Dawn (Anthony Jr.) Lopez of Splendora, TX, Amanda Dawn Whitsett and Andrea Nicole Whitsett of Deer Park, TX, and August Fyodor Cone of Signal Mountain, TN. Great grandchildren are Aliya Faith Lopez, Adrian Michael Lopez, and Anthony Lopez III of Splendora, TX.

The visitation will be held at Pasadena Funeral Chapel on Thursday, March 26, 2020 from 5 to 8 pm. A graveside service for family only will be held at Grand View Memorial Park in Pasadena, TX on Friday, March 27.