 
   Donald Edward McGee was born at the home of his parents Edward Finley & Willa Dean (Reeves) McGee in Martin County outside of Big Spring, Texas, on January 7, 1936. When he was very young, Don often walked 2 miles to work with his dad to ride along on his milk truck deliveries. Don's best friends growing up were his younger brother Jerry Dwayne, and his many cousins. His attended High School in Crane, Texas & Midland, Texas and was baptized at Baptist churches in both towns. As a teenager in Midland, Don ran several paper routes for the Midland newspaper and then got a job at a full-service "filling station" for the first time. Don enlisted in the US Army in July 1954 and arrived at Germersheim Army Base in Germany as part of the 2nd Armored Division, known around the world as "Hell on Wheels" in December 1954. Don was promoted to rank of E5 in only 2 years and spent most of his army career working in E8 capacity in Germany. He was a tank driver and mechanic for M-47 tanks. One of the things he most loved was that his time in the Army allowed him to travel around the U.S. and Europe and meet lots of interesting people. When Don left the Army, he returned to Midland, Texas, and worked for a loan company and then bought his first gas station. In a few years, Don was running an Enco station and two Fina stations in Midland/Odessa. In 1970, Don moved his family to Denison to buy the Fina Station at the corner of Sears & Old Highway 75. In 1974, he bought the Exxon Station on the same corner and continued to work 60-70 hours a week until his health forced him to retire in fall of 2011. Don was a fixture in Denison, always in the same place doing the same thing. He truly enjoyed living a simple life on his farm in Ambrose, working hard, doing a good job and getting to know his customers until they became like extended family to him. Don held on to what others called "old-fashioned" ways of doing business: offering full service and letting customers buy on credit, trusting that their word was their bond. When people didn't pay their bill, he often simply said, "I guess they need that money more than I do." When asked if he didn't get tired of the same ol' life all the time, he responded, "Why would I? It's the perfect family business: to work with your wife and kids, to make lots of friends and to offer a service to your customers that keeps them safely moving down the road." Don McGee was one of a kind. He loved his life, and he really loved his family. He will be greatly missed by Gayle McGee, the love of his life and closest friend for the last 48 years, and his 7 children, Donna Jo McGee (Alaska), Donald Edward McGee II & Stacy McGee (Grand Prairie, Texas), Diana Lynn Appelt & Jon Appelt (Bastrop, Texas), Colby Lewis McGee (Ft Worth, Texas), Angel Gayle Hayes & Steve Hayes (Denison, Texas), Gloria Grace McGee-Denton & Carter Denton (Tulsa, Oklahoma), Virginia (Jenny) Mae McGee (Hendrix, Oklahoma), and by his 13 grandchildren and great-grandkids. Don was preceded in death by his parents, Edward Finley & Willa Dean (Reeves) McGee and Grace Bell McGee; by his only brother Jerry Dwayne McGee; and by his granddaughter Krista Dean McGee. A Celebration of Life was held at 1:30 p.m. Friday, September 7, 2012 in Fisher Funeral Home Chapel with his daughter, Rev. Gloria McGee-Denton officiating. Interment followed in Rose Hill Cemetery in Bells, Texas with Military Honors. Arrangements were under the direction of Fisher Funeral Home, located at 604 West Main in Denison.  Gloria Gayle McGee, 76, passed from this life to ultimate healing on August 27, 2020 at St. John Hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Gayle was born in Tulsa on January 2, 1944, daughter of Andrew Jennings Harman and Wanza Lee Plummer Harman, and grew up very close to her older brothers, Dave Harman and Allen Harman and her extended family. Throughout her life, Gayle lived and went to school in several communities in Texas and Oklahoma. Considered by some to be a "walking encyclopedia," Gayle was a lifelong learner and an avid reader who loved movies, mysteries, art, science and math, and could always offer information on any subject in any conversation. As a young adult, Gayle studied cosmetology and had her own beauty shop and wig shop. She later became co-owner of a successful service station, owned a ceramic shop and a dog kennel, raising highly sought after small breeds where every pup was like family and managed a self sustaining organic farm. Always having a tender heart toward those in need, Gayle continued her education and became a certified Nurse Aid and again had many home health clients whom she cared for like family. After her own health issues necessitated a change, she began a new career as an award-winning portrait photographer in her late 50s and traveled across Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Kansas and New Mexico, and quickly became a district manager for photography and protrait sales. Throughout her life, Gayle was known for her beauty, style, pose and strength, as well as her independence and sense of humor. She had many creative talents and was accomplished in sewing, quilting, crochet, needlework and painting. She loved cooking and feeding family, friends and neighbors, and enjoyed holiday gatherings with her large family. Gayle also enjoyed nature and being in the outdoors, traveling and exploring, gardening, fishing, going to the lake, raising and milking goats, befriending all the animals on the farm, rescuing pets, bird watching and photographing all the beautiful things she saw around her in creation, taking drives in the country and picking wildflowers. However, even with all her interests and accomplishments, Gayles favorite and most natural role was that of wife, mother and grandmother. Gayle and husband, Jerry, never got to bring their first child home from the hospital and they lost Baby Jerry when he was just 6 weeks old. They were delighted when they welcomed their daughter, Angel, to the family. A few years later, Gayle married Don McGee and became a second mom to Donna, Donald, Diana and Colby. Gayle and Don added 2 more children to the family, Gloria (GG) and Virginia (Jenny). Gayle always encouraged her kids to do and be their best, learn all they could, work hard and love hard, and take some time to smell the roses, eat a good meal and enjoy life. Gayle was preceded in death by her parents; infant son, Jerry; 2 brothers, Dave and Allen Harman; by her granddaughter, Krista; and grandson, Billy; her niece, Wanza Samara; and her husband and best friend, Don McGee. Gayle is survived by her daughter, Virginia (Jenny) McGee; Gloria (GG) Denton and husband, Carter; Angel DeFratus; Diana Appelt and husband, John; and Donna McGee; and sons, Colby McGee; Donald McGee and wife, Stacy. She is also survived by grandchildren: Chris, Emma Grace, Erik, Joe, Kayla, Kiara, Lily, Michael, Misty, Shelby, Tina, Trey, Tyler; and by serveral great-grandhilcren, nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers the family as requested donations be made to St. Jude's Children Research Hospital. Arrangements were entrusted to Shipman Funeral Home in Wagoner, Oklahom  Rose Hill Cemetery Elaine Nall Bay ©2018 If you find any of Grayson CountyTXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message. |
