Don D. McCauley

At the ripe old age of 92, Donald David McCauley gained his wings and flew to Jesus. He was born in Arnottville, Hill County, Texas, in a farmhouse with no running water, no heater, no air conditioning, and no indoor bathroom, to Dave and Nina Mae McCauley on May 25, 1931.

Don’s parents purchased a farm in Osceola, Texas, where they lived while Don attended school until it closed. He continued school in Itasca, Texas, and then attended Hillsboro, Texas, schools until his junior year when the family moved to Mart, Texas. Don graduated from that high school on his seventeenth birthday, May 25, 1948.

It was there in Mart where he met a cheerleader named Julianne Gillespie whom he loved dearly. They were married on October 7, 1950. To that marriage two boys were born: Larry Don McCauley and Gary Paul McCauley. In September 1988 Julianne developed cancer and died ending 39 years of marriage to Don.

In 1966 Don joined Gideon’s International and served there until his health prevented his continuing in that capacity.

In late fall of 1989, while attending a single’s gathering at First United Methodist Church, Waco, Texas, he reconnected with a former co-worker, Mary Bills, and on June 30, 1990, Mary became his second wife. To this marriage came Mary’s two children, Kelli Diserens and Jeff Bills. In these 33 plus years, Don and Mary have spent time traveling together, painting their house, buying, refinishing, and selling dining room furniture. These times together Mary will cherish for the rest of her days.

Don loved yardwork and spent many hours mowing and making his yard beautiful. Until his health declined, Don and Mary dug many flower beds together, planting many roses over the years including a garden. Don was a great handyman recently building the cedar window shutters of their newly painted house in 2018. This was the first year he ever had to pay to have the house painted. Before this time, he had always painted it himself.

Don started his employment years at Cameron Lumber Co and at 17, he moved to San Marcus to work as a bookkeeper for Cameron. In 1968 he went to work for Word Inc. for 20 years as a distribution manager. In 1990, Don walked into Connally Compton Funeral Directors and asked for a parttime job which he thought he’d do for a couple of years and 30 years later at the age of 89 he retired – only because of his declining health.

Don was a man of great integrity and his dry funny humor, teasing ways, and tender loving care will be missed. The family is grateful always for the consistent good care of Don by Dr. Michael Loden and Heather Branch at Lake Shore Medical Center, Baylor Scott and White Hillcrest sixth floor nurses and other staff, especially Walter and Spence, fourth floor nurse, Ana, and the staff there as well as the nurses and staff at Hewitt Nursing and Wellness Center, especially Jennifer. Bluebonnet Home Health, Taylor and Ashonte and Bluebonnet Hospice, Brittany, Makayla, Monte, Janie, and Brian and all the wonderful Prayer Warriors in our lives. Most of all we praise our Savior and coming King, Jesus who has been by our side all the days of our lives.

Preceding Don in death are his wife, Julianne; his parents Dave and Nina Mae McCauley; his twin brothers, Clyde and Claude McCauley; his precious Aunt Bea; and cousin, Jack Stoker. Left to cherish his memory are his loving wife, Mary; sons, Larry Don, Paul (Diane), Jeff Bills (April) and daughter Kelli Diserens (Kevin); grandchildren: Dusty, Jessica (Rudi), Aaron, Carter (Skyla), Jamaria, Malaya, Casey, Kaylee, Andrew, Cadee (Brett), and Tyler and four great grandchildren: Julie (Tim), Anthony, Adam, and Aidan.

Pallbearers: Anthony Aguilar, Adam Aguilar, Aaron McCauley, Carter Diserens, Casey Diserens, and Aidan Fisher.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in memory of Don McCauley at Gideons International, Waco Camp, P.O. Box 72, Waco, TX 76703, to spread the Good News of Jesus.

John 3:16