Don Southall

Guy Don Southall, 86 of Abilene, passed away on Friday, September 10, 2021. Funeral service will be on Tuesday, September 14, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. at the Highway 36 Church of Christ. Visitation with the family will be on Monday, September 13, 2021 from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. at Piersall Funeral Directors, 733 Butternut Street.

Don Southall was born on March 24, 1935 in Vernon, Texas to Silas Hubbard “Pete” Southall and Winnie Davis Johnston Southall. He was named after two Baptist preachers, Guy Bellamy and Don Hathcork. His early years were spent in Vernon until the family moved to Abilene in 1949. Don graduated from Abilene High School in 1953 and attended Hardin-Simmons University for 2 years until the Army National Guard came calling. He would spend the next 7 summers at Fort Hood, serving with the 142nd Infantry, 36 Division, Headquarters Company. In July of 1953 at band camp at McMurry, he met Iona Beth Blackburn. They were engaged in March of 1955 and were married July 30, 1956 at Elliott’s Chapel in Abilene. Don spent some time after the service working as an auto parts salesman at Service Part Company and the served as the Director of Buildings and Grounds at ACU. He also had a passion for sports and was a member of the Southwest Basketball and Football Officials for 25 years and was the secretary of the Basketball Officials Association for 20 years. Don and Iona were members at the Highway 36 Church of Christ for over 50 years and he served as an elder from 1989 until 2019. Don had a great love for his mission family in Zambia. He began his mission work in 1999, traveling to Africa 7 times and continued to support the work until the day he passed.

Don was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Berle and Morris Southall and sister Nona Pearl Southall. He is survived by his loving wife of 65 years, Iona; sons Dan D. Southall, Sr. and wife Jan of Corpus Christi and Vernon Southall of Abilene; grandson Dan D. Southall, Jr. and wife Belinda of Abilene, and granddaughters Crystal Moore and husband Nick if Amarillo, Candice Yarbrough of Arlington and Julie Marmor and husband Lucas of Corpus Christi; plus 10 great grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren.

Condolences may be offered online at www.pbfuneraldirectors.com.