Donald D. Church

Donald Duane Church of Henderson, Texas, passed away quietly at Hospice of East Texas in Tyler. Mr. Church was born September 30, 1930 in Mountain, Wisconsin and moved to Alaska as a child of four years old with his family in 1935 as a member of the Matanuska Colony, a New Deal project. The son of John and Julia Church he graduated from high school in Alaska in 1948. He briefly worked for the Alaska Railroad after high school, as well as being employed as a heavy equipment operator. As an equipment operator he cleared land for homesteaders and cleared the path for Church Road in Wasilla, Alaska named for the multiple homesteads he and his brothers had in that area. Church and his brothers were drafted into the army during the Korean War. Don served in the Army Corps of Engineers in Alaska from 1958 through 1960. In 1962 he entered service as an Alaska State Trooper. At that time there was no academy, and he was taken under the wing of an experienced trooper to learn the job. Don was briefly stationed in Anchorage before being transferred to Kodiak Island where he had the longest police beat in the world stretching some 1,500 miles from Kodiak to Shemya Island. He was stationed there at the time of the 1964 earthquake, the largest recorded earthquake in North America. As noted in a citation from Alaska Governor William Egan, “Trooper Church had been back in Kodiak only one-half hour after completing a 23 days tour of the villages along the Aleutian Chain. He knew the tidal wave would follow the big quake, and rushed to the police station to send the alarm over the marine radio.” He remained at his post all night sending warnings, helping others, and relieving those in distress. His actions saved countless lives and led to numerous citations, commendations, and was named the State Trooper of the year. He later became a Chief Investigator and retired in 1983 achieving the rank of lieutenant. Don married his Texas sweetheart Billie Whitehead in Henderson, Texas, and returned to Alaska. The couple met in Anchorage in January 1965 and married in August of the same year. The courtship was so fast that Don did not have time to purchase an engagement ring, so he bought her a gold nugget necklace in lieu of the more traditional ring. Don never met a child he did not love, nor one who did not love him. He was everyone’s “Uncle Don”. He loved hunting and fishing. Don was always pulling pranks, telling jokes, and full of laughter. Don was preceded in death by his parents John and Julia Church, brothers John Church, Jr. (Margie), William Church, Edwin (Donna) Church, and his sister Lorraine (Charlie) Lindberg, and brothers-in-law Elmer Feltz and Jim Caputo. He is survived by his sisters Rose Feltz of Blue Springs, Missouri, Alice Caputo of Rice’s Landing, Pennsylvania, brother-in-law Bobby Whitehead (Lanita), and sister-in-law Ruby Church of Wasilla, Alaska. He is also survived by his wife of 59 years Billie and many beloved nieces and nephews. Pallbearers were Cory Prior, Chez Prior, David Church, Tim Caputo, John Prior, and Adrian Roberson. Honorary pallbearers were the Alaska State Troopers. Visitation was held from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm on Monday, Dec. 16, 2024 at Crawford - A. Crim Funeral Home. Chapel service was held at 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024 at Crawford - A. Crim Funeral Home chapel of Henderson. The family will have a private burial at Lakewood Memorial Park under the direction of Crawford - A. Crim Funeral Home of Henderson. Memorial donations may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. Words of comfort may be shared at www.crawfordacrim.com.