Donnie Lee Partridge

Donnie Lee Partridge was born on June 27, 1923, in Knox County, Texas to Emmett and Mattie Partridge. The youngest of five children he grew up in the farming community of Munday until he left for Austin in 1940 to enroll in the University of Texas. There he received a degree in Cotton Marketing and, most importantly, met the love of his life, Ruth Elaine Britt. In 1945 he began graduate studies at American University in Washington, D.C. While there he worked as a security guard at the U.S. Capitol, where President Harry Truman, the haberdasher, once straightened his tie. That was one of his favorite stories. Still his heart remained in Texas, and so in November 1945 he returned to Austin where he and Elaine were married at the Britt family home on Salado Street. The couple moved then to Corpus Christi where Don worked for Dun and Bradstreet and later to Kingsville where Don was a teacher. There Elaine gave birth to their first child, James Britt, quickly followed by their first daughter, Donna Janet, who was born severely mentally retarded. A few years later, Don became a school principal in La Feria, where they welcomed the arrival of their second daughter, Myra Sue. Donna's disability gave a new direction to Don's career and began a life-long devotion to the education and care of those with special needs. The family moved to Corpus Christi in 1955, where Don transitioned from work as a school principal into special education administration. At this time, several summers were spent earning an M.S. in Education from the University of Texas. The family then settled in Austin in 1959 when Don began working for the Texas Education Agency. He eventually became Texas's first Associate Commissioner of Special Education. After retiring from the state in 1982, Don and Elaine worked for the United States Department of Defense and traveled extensively throughout the world evaluating special education programs at U.S. military bases. Afterwards they continued their relationship and advocacy on behalf of those involved with Texas State Schools and the Parent's Association for Retarded Texans. Among Don's greatest joys were his three grandchildren, Andrew, Matthew, and Kathryn McCoy, all of whom he loved to photograph and whom often accompanied him all over the Texas hill country, whether to go fishing, hiking and hunting or to the Austin symphony or to the state capital for the odd lunch with a local lawmaker. He is preceded in death by his daughter Donna Janet, in November 1991. He is survived by Ruth Elaine Britt Partridge, his wife of 62 years. Also, his son and daughter-in-law, Jim and Pat Partridge, and his daughter and son-in-law, Myra and Mike McCoy, as well as a large and loving extended family. In addition to his three grandchildren, he will also be treasured and remembered by seven great-grandchildren. Memorial services will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 24, 2008 at Crestview United Methodist Church at 1300 Morrow Street, Austin, TX 78757. The family gratefully acknowledges the constant service and compassion of the staff at Parmer Woods and general manager Joel Quade, the care of Hospice Austin and Carmen Burkhart, and all of the caregivers with Visiting Angels. Memorial contributions may be made to Crestview United Methodist Church or the Austin State School, 2203 W. 35th St., Austin, Texas 78731 Obituary and guestbook online at wcfish.com