Our second son, Donald Nelson was born September 19, 1959, Mary Nell and I loved him and were as proud of him as parents could be. Donnie was a very good baby. He was very content most of the time. He enjoyed spending time in his bed entertaining himself with his various baby toys.

We named him Donald after my brother Donald Ray, and we named him Nelson after our good friend Eugene Nelson Thompson. I continue to be proud of my two sons and have always loved them with “all of my heart’. They are a gift from God, and nothing can separate this love from me.

When Donnie was born, we were living at 3112 Avenue U NW, Winter Haven in a new house that had never been occupied. An inexperienced builder had built the house almost a year previously but had never cleaned the windows etc. from the construction mess. The Federal Housing Administration would only finance 90% of their appraised value. Mary Nell and I purchased the house for $6,800, the amount FHA would loan on it. We cleaned it up and enjoyed it for a few months before Donnie arrived.

I was working at Tip Top TV & Appliances. Mary Nell worked part time, at the Winter Haven Herald a weekly newspaper published by Mayor George Burr and his wife Josephine Burr. Moma King looked after our two sons during the 4-hour periods that Mary Nell worked.

There was no landscaping in the yard. At night using an electric flood light and on weekends Mary Nell and I dug up our yard, graded it; pulling a two by four board across it and then sprigged the grass cuttings our neighbor J.E. Thomson provided us from trimming of his grass when he edged it. Our parents also provided us with sprigs or cutting of plant; we eventually had landscaping at a minimal cost. For irrigating we drove a 2” pipe about 20 feet deep into the ground and installed an electric pump on it to provide water for the grass.

We fence in a portion of the back yard for Ed and Donnie to play in. Our friend Eugene Nelson Thompson married Gayle Whitney and they built a home on Avenue T directly behind us. Their son Timothy and our boys could walk across our adjoining back yards to play together. Gayle was a good piano player. Her dad was a Baptist minister and she struggled with some of the local Pentecostal culture.

Mary Nell, Gayle and Eugene practiced music and sang in church sometimes as a trio.

Before Donnie was 2 years old, we built a new home at 880 Lake Silver which was very near the parking lot of the Winter Haven Hospital. Both properties faced Lake Martha. The Marty Halabrin family was our neighbors on the east side of our place. Our families played on the adjoining land and the Lake Martha waterfront and boat dock.
On the lakefront was also a public playground for the neighborhood, however our children and our neighbors preferred spending their time in our own nice yards.

Eddie would take this sibling to John Peters pharmacy nearby to spend their pennies for treats or a small gift for their mother.

Donnie would eat his trick or treat candy however his brother Eddie would save most of his.

Donnie was enrolled in Laughlin Land Kindergarten with Mary Ann Whiteside as his teacher in 1964 when he was 5 years old. After we moved to Lake Silver, he attended Brigham public school which was less than one mile away from our home. His teachers were 1st grade Mrs. Hasley, 2nd grade, Mrs. Land: 3rd grade. Mrs. W. L. Davis; 4th grade Mrs. Lilly. At the West Winter Haven Church of God Bible School his teachers were: Melba Harrison, director, Roy C. Miller, pastor. Sept 26, 1965, the West Winter Haven Church of God Sunday School promoted Donnie to a higher class. Betty Brady, the teacher, Jack Winters was superintendent. and Rev. W.M. Peeler was pastor. June 1968 Mary N. Winters was director of the vacation bible school and Mrs. W.M. Peeler was the teacher.

Donnie got a good grade in piano in the Academy of Arts. August 3, 1966, Donnie qualified as an Advanced beginner in swimming with the American National Red Cross.

We built a swimming pool in our backyard and installed a chain link fence. On day while visiting the Mixon at Wimauma they gave us a large German shepherd dog named King, so we put him in the back seat of our station wagon and took him home and placed him inside the fenced area. King would run and play with the children and chase them as they would jump into the water as an escape. We also had a small lap dog named “sport”.

We installed a basketball goal post at the end of the drive that was just outside the sliding glass door to our double carport which had now been converted into an office for me and Mary Nell to operate Dan Winters Corporation. The family worked and played in the same area for many years.

One Christmas Santa clause built us Donnie and his siblings a life size playhouse with a ladder to the fort on the roof near the pool. The neighborhood kids loved playing in our yard.

Donnie and his friend Phillip Davis were riding their bikes to school in September, when a lady came up behind them in an automobile and knocked both of them and their bikes about 75 or 100 feet. Donnie’s bike was dragged underneath her car, and he landed several feet ahead underneath a palm tree. Phil was hospitalized for several days, and Donnie’s leg was broken and placed in a cast.

Another time they were playing in the fire in Phil’s yard when Donnie’s leg got burned and the doctor put a cast over the burned area. Donnie would continue to play and drag the cast leg; after a few weeks the doctor would replace the worn out and dirty cast.

His tricycle lost one of the wheels, so Donnie managed to ride on with one front wheel and one rear wheel.

I took my children into the water at an early age. They learned to swim, water ski and drive a boat. They would take friends in the boat thru the chain of lakes, stopping for gas which often included free snacks for everyone.

Our family attended the West Winter Haven Church of God. After the church service some of the young people would run and play in the parking lot. Donnie liked to tease and have fun so he would catch frogs and chase the girls, especially the Yelvington cousins. He was known to put a frog in their cars. He and Glen Davis were known to block a car’s wheels to cause a delay for the driver. All of these types of things in fun and to get attention and a good laugh. Pastor Larry Danley would cut up with them.

Donnie fished and hunted in the woods with me often. We had a great relationship.

One year we were hunting deer and wild hogs in the Ocala Forest, another kid about 100 yards away shot at a hog and the bullet hit in the left side of Donnie’s skull. I quickly got Donnie into my car and drove very fast to get him to the hospital in Winter Haven. I did make a quick stop at a telephone booth in Crystal River to coordinate with our doctor at the hospital. Mary Nell was sick in bed when he went in to explain the accident and the cause of the blood on him and his clothes.

I purchased a used amphicat, a small, all-wheel drive all-terrain vehicle, used for recreation. The extra-large tires cause it to float in the water and keep it on top of sand or soft dirt. My children and many of their friends spent many hours riding it on the water and the vacant property in front of our home.

Donnie graduated from Winter Haven High School after attending Grace Lutheran school through the 8th grade. He and his neighborhood playmates rode boats and became excellent swimmers and water skiers.

When we built a new home at 1319 Mirror Terrace Donnie had his own bedroom and private bathroom.

While skiing on Lake Mirror they learned to form a 6-person pyramid. Donnie woke his mother up to come and take a video of the group.

Insert video here.

Once while the guys were playing Steve Ryan fell off the bow of the boat and Donnie immediately stopped the engine, however the propeller severely cut Steve’s leg so the boys got him to shore at his home where Dr. Ryan could get him proper medical attention.

One day Sunny Whitt and I went to the shoreline to tell Donnie to come home and eat. We could see him and his boat on the other side of the lake. The boat motor was out of gas. He was in the water swimming and pulling the boat with him as it was out of gas. After about 40 minutes he completed the task. He said he did not want to leave the boat unattended.

Donnie worked after school at my Cypress Home Mobile Home factory doing cleanup and janitorial work with a salary of $100. per week paid by DWC.

After he graduated from Winter Haven Senior High School, he attended Florida Southern College where he was active in baseball, swimming, and other water sports.

When he graduated from Winter Haven High in 1977, he was dating Teresa Harris. She was such a sweet person, and they made such a pretty couple. She made someone else a good wife.

One day while pleasure riding our Jeep in grove at Lake McLeod with Ann Sabbatis he broke the windshield on a tree limb.
Donnie and I would often fish together on the shoreline of Lake Martha and also in the boat at Lake McLeod and also in the gulf at Siesta Key. Donnie was becoming a good fisherman and would catch the small fish from the dock at Longboat key in Sarasota. Our family would take our boat into the gulf and deep-sea fish on many occasions.

We gave Donnie a dirt bike and a trailer to haul it on. Glen Davis and Donnie often rode the dirt bikes in our grove at Lake Alfred, on the phosphate pits and other places with obstacles. They were like dare devils!

Don & Emily

Donnie was a student at Florida Southern College in Lakeland and was staying in the college dormitory. He was also playing on the ball team at the Village Church of God in Winter Haven.

In 1967, I had opened a College Education saving fund at Haven Federal for Donnie. He withdrew the funds to attend Florida Southern College in Lakeland from 9/78 to 1981.

He began dating a pretty classmate named Emily and he would sometimes bring her to the Village Church softball game where he played on the team although he did not bring her to see me and his mother Mary Nell.

I heard from a couple of sources that Donnie was planning to marry a girl he had met at Florida Southern College.

In April Don told us he had decided to marry a girl we hardly knew named Emily. We wanted them to wait until they graduated and had a sufficient income. They did not want to wait so he agreed that she would begin working as a waitress to help with their living expenses until he graduated. They rented a nice apartment in Lakeland that was conveniently located near the college and places she could work. We provided funds for them to purchase new laundry equipment.

They were married in April 1981.

We provided the expenses for them to have a beautiful wedding in the civic center on the lakefront of lake mirror in Lakeland. Emily’s father Joe LaRochelle from Lake Placid New York attended the wedding. Emily’s mother did not attend, however several years later Mary Nell and I did visit her mother at her home in Lake Placid.

Donnie liked most sports and was hoping to become a coach upon graduation. Donnie’s eyesight prevented him from being able to see the baseball and hit it properly, thus he lost some desire to play.

Emily soon quit her waitress job saying she did not like the work.

I refused to loan Donnie some money thinking this would cause her to resume working. Some years later I found out he borrowed the money from his granddaddy King.

Donnie withdrew from college in early 1982 after earning 96.5 semester hours with a 1.8 cumulative average.

One day we found out that Donnie had dropped out of college although he was only a little more than one semester from graduation. We were disappointed. He went to work for Charlie Day doing outdoor construction work.

Later he told me that he dropped out because Emily did not like him giving other girls a ride to attend the same college classes. She was possessive.

She was a sweet and pretty girl; however, she was from a dysfunctional army family and had problems. We tried to make the best of the situation. We provided the expenses for their lovely wedding and continued his allowance from his trust funds.

Donnie became a field representative for SGC in the state of Florida. September 1984, during the SGC exhibit at the state mobile home meeting in Tampa it was reported that Emily may have been drinking too much.

October 1984, SGC was considering selling SGC to Glendale Federal S&L.

Donnie decided he would rather work out of door, and he began to work with Charlie Day, and they did some painting at SGC building. Charlie said he was a good worker; however, his health failed him, and he died leaving Donnie unemployed. Donnie worked as a helper at some odd jobs before working for Smith Built portable houses in Auburndale and as sales manager of their retail sales lot in Lakeland.

Jan 1986, Don & Emily were living on 15th St. SW

Donnie and Emily agreed to the terms of a divorce. His primary income had been mostly from trusts funded by his parents.

June 22. 1988 Mary Nell was not feeling well however she urged Teri and Dan to continue the planned missionary trip to South Africa with Carl Richardson Ministries.

In the fall of 1993, Ed, Don, Nancy, Mary Nell and Dan took our 2nd trip to the New England states in a Chevy van to view the leaves changing their color. On our return we stopped in Cleveland to attend Bill and Frieda’s 50th Anniversary. Donnie was a lot of help in doing the driving.

Thanksgiving 1993 Ken went to Mulberry to pick up Donnie and Terry Parker late for dinner at Teri house. Mary Nell was not able to enjoy the dinner. Mary Nell in hospital most of Nov Donnie took seat out of van so he could transport her from home to Lakeland hospital for radiation treatments.

January 1994 Diana was among the people attending the viewing of Mary Nell’s wake.
Diane began living with Donnie at 807 15th Street. Her son Christophers Hawkings and her son Cory Young also lived there. They were both good boys and took care of themselves, getting their breakfast before catching the bus to go to school.

In June 2000 Donald and Diana withdrew funds from his trust and were married at a wedding chapel on Highway 29 in Lakeland. Most of the family attended except for Ed who was not able to make It from Tampa.

March 23, 2008, Surprise birthday party for Dan at Buca De’s in Tampa. Teri, Danielle, Trevor, Donnie, Dianne, etc. Mary Sue, Nancy and about 40 others attended. (Ed was unable to attend).

Four days at the beach. On Thursday Richard took Ronnie, Donnie, Brent, and Dan fishing.

2008 June 14. On Saturday Donnie joined Brent and Dan as we went to see Ed. Uncovered, cold, diaper, starring, and not talking.

Dec 24th, 2008, Teri & Kids to B-110. – Don & Dianna came for the Holidays at Beach. Samantha into detox.

Jan 16th, 2009, Dan entered Winter Haven Hospital and Dr. Tia placed stent #7 in his heart. Released from hospital on 17th.

March 26 Donnie & Dianna treated Dan & Mary at Chili’s in Winter Haven.

At later date we had dinner at D&D’s home (our first and only time)

April 12th, 2009, Don & Di attended Village for Easter.

April 15th Dr. Tia placed stent #8 at Winter Haven hospital.

Sunday April 26th, Byron, Kysha, Michael visited Don & Diane at 401.

July 17,2009 Dinner at Chattanooga with Christopher and youth group from Village.

July 22 Danielle & Trevor to Gatlinburg to spend time with Christopher. We ordered Chris a truck.

July 27 Chris flew to Winter Haven to work for the next four days with David.

Tuesday July 28th Isom purchased truck ready for delivery Sun Aug 2nd.
Sunday Aug 2nd Don & Chris flew into Knoxville, went to North Cleveland, party and then they drove to Winter Haven.

October 2009 Christopher and Diane phoned and discussed his signing up for four years in the army.

Donnie loaned Wellness $25,000 and received a note plus 10% stock ownership.

Feb 17, 2010, Christopher left Fl for his army training.

Feb 27th, 2010, we attended Sarah Karp’s big party for her 13th birthday. Teri in Sarasota for about 7 hours. Donnie & Dianne spent 3 nights with us at B-110. Bill & Sheryl stayed in B-210

Feb 1, 2013 – Death of Roy E. Winters

2016 (about August) Donnie called that he was having problems with left leg and attending physician doing test on heart and circulatory system. We flew to Florida and stayed with Jack during Donnie’s treatment.

Diana died November 13th, 2018. She was born February 15, 1961.

Donnie had a stroke and was admitted to Lakeland General Hospital on June 5, 2020.
Arranged for Sam Hayes to provide care at Donnie’s home 24/7 – $200. weekly.

August 4, 2020, Second meeting with Brice Kirksey at 401 Concord.

Donnie went to Lakeland Memorial and 2 stents were placed in his aorta artery.
Jan 1, 2021, Samuel Hayes was Increased to $450 per week. Got new battery etc. for Donnie’s truck. MSSB Issued a debit card for Sam to use to pay for Items as needed for Donnie.

Sam’s wages were Increased to $850 per week, by Tony early in the year in 2023.

Jan 3, 2021, Teri submitted application for Medicare coverage for Donnie. On Jan 11 submitted appeal of the denial.

Jan 4, 2021, Sent Corey e-mail to send proof real estate taxes were paid & proof of homestead exemption. Ask for a copy of the bank statements for the year 2020.

April 1, 2023 – Nov. – Dan and Mary were in Lake Ashton. Visited Donnie at Ave “I” plus took him and Sam to Red Lobster. Also took Donnie to lunch several times.

September 21, 2023, Sam told Dan that Donnie needs cataract surgery. $9,000 for each eye. Dan left word with Tony to call me.

Oct 2023 Brent processed $ 11,658.64 via Morgan Stanley account to Polk County to pay Donnie’s Real estate taxes for year of 2022.

Nov 23, 2023, Thanksgiving with Marsha & Tony, however Donnie decided not to attend.

Dec 8 Dan had a pleasant visit with Donnie at his home.

Dec 28 Cori and or Christopher visited Donnie at his home. He was not able to stand up and walk so Sam entered him into the Lakeland Regional Hospital.  They began a rehab program to rebuild his energy etc. After a few day they Sam said they were planning to send send him to a rehab center in NE Winter Haven.  However Donnie went to rehab center in Lakeland and after 10 days was sent home where home health rehab could provide the care.