Don B Koonce

ODESSA Don B. Koonce, longtime resident of Odessa, passed away Monday, Oct. 12, 2015, in Lubbock. He was 79.

Born Sept. 4, 1936, in Gorman, TX, to Ted and Jessie Koonce, Don graduated from Sundown High School in 1955 and went on to notable achievements as a collegiate student athlete. He attended San Angelo Junior College on a basketball scholarship and was a member of the 1957 NJCAA National Championship basketball team. He was inducted into the Angelo State University Athletics Hall of Honor in 2015. Don graduated from Texas Tech and was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity.

He met Carmon Pruett and the couple married in 1963. They were married for 52 wonderful years. Don also led a successful career as owner of Pioneer Furniture Store, until his retirement about seven years ago.

Don was a longtime member of the Church of Christ and was a member of Sherwood Church of Christ at the time of his passing. He was an avid outdoorsman who loved fishing and hunting.

Don was a loving, generous and kind man who treated everyone as his equal. He will be greatly missed.

He was preceded in death by his parents, and is survived by his loving wife, Carmon; son Larry Koonce and wife Suzanne of Plano, TX; daughter Shannon Turnbow and husband Steven Turnbow of Lubbock; brother Eugene Koonce and wife Eloise of Scottsdale, AZ; and grandchildren Sophie, Christopher, John, Seth, Kayla and Shelby.

A visitation will be held from 6-8 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 14, at Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 15, at Sherwood Church of Christ, with Mark Wilson and Lynn Money officiating.

The family would like to thank Comfort Keepers of Lubbock and Hospice of Lubbock for all their help and support and asks that in lieu of flowers donations be made to Hospice of Lubbock.

Services entrusted to Hubbard-Kelley Funeral Home.