Donald Nelson Robitaille

Donald was born on January 21, 1939 in Goffstown, New Hampshire, to Joseph and Bernice Robitaille. The fourth of eight children, Donald grew up in various locations in the New England area. Donald enlisted in the army just after his 19th birthday in 1958. After serving a few years in Germany he re-enlisted, serving a total of nine year. He achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant (SSG, E-6) and earned several commendations including the Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, and the Marksman Rifle badge.

While stationed at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, Donald met Robbie Trayler on Christmas day, 1964. They married less than six weeks later, on February 12, 1965. It wasn’t long before he was deployed to Vietnam. Donald returned safely from Vietnam in January 1967 and immediately started his studies at the University of Texas El Paso (then named “Texas Western University”). Their daughter, Rebecca Ruth was born in El Paso in May 1967. Donald continued his studies, often taking 18-21 credit hours each semester and was able to graduate with his Bachelor of Arts degree in only three years, just after his second child, a son Robert Aubrey was born in December 1969. He loved to tell us that his daughter was born during his first semester final exams, and his son was born during his last semester final exams.

Donald worked for the Oscar Mayer Corporation as a Sales Representative for over 25 years in Texas, New York and Pennsylvania. In 1996, he decided to take an early retirement payout and move back to Texas. After retirement, he worked for Meals on Wheels, coordinating volunteers and then as a substitute teacher. He also served in his senior apartment community by leading some Sunday morning Bible studies. More than anything else in his retirement, he enjoyed having time to be creative. He did a few wood carvings, and painted some landscapes and portraits, but he also enjoyed writing some creative stories.

Just after his 80th birthday, Donald was diagnosed with bladder cancer. Even with a dreadful diagnosis, he maintained his great sense of humor, joking that his warranty had expired so his body was falling apart. Unfortunately, he also had problems with his heart and lungs, making treatment of the cancer impossible. The night before he passed, he was able to sit and visit with his family, laughing and telling stories until he got tired and went to bed. He passed away in his sleep on the morning of March 16, 2019.

Donald was a hard-working Christian man with a great smile and wonderful sense of humor. He will be greatly missed!

Survivors: His daughter, Rebecca Escoto and husband, Eliseo and their children, Sammy and David, who all live in Grand Prairie; his son, Robert Robitaille and wife, Mary and their son, Luke, who live in Euless, Texas. Donald is also survived by his siblings: in New Hampshire, Claudia (Lee) Reaves, Nancy (Lionel, deceased) Reed, Sandra (Robert) Philbrook, Charles (Patty) Robitaille, and Mary Larck, and in North Carolina, Joseph (Helen) Robitaille, along with numerous nephews and nieces. Donald is predeceased by his brother Richard.

Services for Donald will be held at the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery on April 19, 2019 at 9:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers, contributions to the Wounded Warrior Project would be appreciated.