Page 68 - Senior Link Magazine Spring 2019- Online Magazine

HONORING SENIORS

Don McInturff

How to Get Smart:

Never Stop Learning

by Jane Bromley

Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever
else you do, develop good judgment. Proverbs 4: 7 NLT

on McInturff is a West Texas They moved to Lubbock in January right where he’d left off a year and a
boy. He was born November 1941, so the teachers could continue half earlier. He finished school on the
D24, 1926 in Lubbock during their education, but after Pearl Harbor G.I. Bill, graduating with a degree in
one of the worst sandstorms on was attacked in December, William Animal Science.
record. His maternal grandparents went into the service. Don’s mother
opened Lubbock’s third grocery continued teaching in Idalou, and He had met the love of his life, Pauline
store on the corner of Broadway and Don graduated from Lubbock High Lokey, in high school. While he was
Texas Avenue in 1911. His mother in 1944. After 2½ semesters at Texas in the service, he saved up enough
Sarah Chauncey and father William A&M, he joined the Army. The first to purchase a brand new 1947 2-tone
McInturff went to Texas Technological atomic bomb was dropped soon Nash for $1617. He drove to Lubbock
College when it opened in 1925. At after he completed basic training every two weeks to see her. She
that time, you could get a teaching at Ft. Hood, so he thought he’d be graduated from Tech in May 1948, and
certificate after only one year. West discharged. Instead, he was sent to they married in June.
Texas was still virtually all ranchland, Japan, by way of Camp Stoneman in
and most schools served small California. The following spring, the 21-year-old
communities of a few families every Don was offered a commission by the
seven to ten miles. He was assigned to War Department. He jumped at the
The young teachers an ordinance unit chance to become a 2nd Lieutenant in
began teaching in Yokohama, but the Reserves and is still grateful for
in Union, then in because he’d taken a all the good friends he made over the
Yoakum County, “sissy course”- typing, years. Also, at that time, the G.I. Bill
first southwest of he was given an office offered Agriculture classes to veterans,
Plains, and later job. He moved up and Don’s degree qualified him to
near Tokio. Don quickly, from corporal teach. He took a job in Sudan, Texas,
enjoyed growing to buck sergeant. He teaching farmer/veterans, establishing
up on those rural was reassigned to dozens of lifelong friendships, and
schoolgrounds and the 239th Ordinance along the way, learning how to farm.
reminisces about Depot and became an
a pet goat and a Operations Sergeant In 1949, most of the farms on the
dog named Lady. at age 18. After three South Plains were not irrigated.
His parents took more months, he was Cotton was still being picked by hand,
correspondence promoted to Tech but it was a bountiful year. Dryland
courses, and the Sergeant. He was farmers were producing two bales/
three of them did discharged in October acre. John Deere had just come out
their “homework” 1946 and came home with a 2-row stripper, but no one Don
together by to Lubbock. He drove knew could afford one. One day, he
kerosene lamp. The acquisition of to College Station for a football game saw an ad in the AJ for a tractor and
knowledge was a high priority. and was able to talk the registrar into stripper for $2800. He was only 23, but
letting him pick up mid-semester he walked into the Lorenzo State Bank

68 Lubbock Senior Link