Donald Delano Lipscomb

Donald Delano Lipscomb, of Baltimore, Maryland departed this life Wednesday, July 18, 2012, after a lengthy illness. Donald was born in Institute, West Virginia April 7, 1937 to the late James and Fannie Louise Lipscomb. Donald comes from a very large loving family of ten children, including a fraternal twin brother. Donald married Cynthia Janette Cates on February 10, 1968, and from that union they were blessed with Sharron Lipscomb Powell. On July 13, 2002, he married his current wife Shirley A. Gerald Lipscomb. They had been together 24 years, and happily married for 10 years. He was blessed with a step-son Damon D. Gerald. Donald was educated in the Kanawha County School System in West Virginia. He graduated from State High School in Institute, West Virginia. In 1955, Donald completed two years of college at West Virginia State College before dropping out to join the Army. He served three years in the United States Army. He was stationed at Fort Myer Army Base in Virginia and worked in the clerical division. After receiving an honorable discharge from the Army in 1962, he returned to West Virginia State College and received his Bachelor of Science Degree in 1965 in Elementary Education. He received his Master’s Degree in 1973 from Towson State University. In 1975, he received his Administration and Supervision Certificate from Johns Hopkins University. He began his teaching career in Toledo, Ohio in 1965 in the Toledo Public Schools. After teaching for two years in Ohio, he transferred to the Baltimore City Public School System in 1967. His first teaching assignment was at Barclay Elementary School as a sixth grade teacher. Donald served as a senior teacher in the Baltimore City Public School System from 1975 to 1982. In 1982, he was an Educational Specialist II in Mathematics. From 1984 to 1989 he served as an assistant principal at Liberty Elementary School, Pimlico Elementary School and Medfield Heights Elementary School. In 1989, he became principal of Lockerman Bundy Elementary School. Donald retired in 2001 after 12 years as principal of Lockerman Bundy. Donald was a hard worker. He learned his work ethic from his parents as a young boy. When he was 11 years old, he and his twin brother worked a rural paper route for the Charleston Gazette in West Virginia. They got up at 4:30 a.m. every morning, met the delivery truck, and then walked for three hours all over the community to deliver the morning paper before starting out for school at 8:30 a.m. each day. During the summer and fall, he and the other children in the family helped their parents to sell the vegetables and fruits that grew on their 100 acre farm which the family affectionately called “Lipscomb’s Hill.” Donald and his twin brother had the responsibility of caring for most of the animals on the farm, especially the horses and pigs. Donald also worked odd jobs in the community to earn money for his education. When he was eighteen, he worked as the night switchboard telephone operator at West Virginia State College, and later he worked for the Agricultural Department at the college herding and feeding the dairy cows every morning and night. Donald was a quiet, introspective man. He was very analytical and highly intellectual. He was extremely kind and considerate. Donald loved to read. He was a voracious reader and he really enjoyed reading books about American and World History. He was a true history buff. He loved reading about World War I and II, as well as the Civil War. He also enjoyed going to the movies, relaxing, reading the newspapers, and watching the news and sports on television. He really enjoyed playing golf with his twin. Donald was a lover of caps, and they became a part of his sleepwear. It was tradition to attend the Murder Mystery weekend in Pennsylvania. He enjoyed traveling, especially his trip to Paris with Shirley. Donald was a member of the Baltimore City Public School Administrators and Supervisors Association (PSASA). He was also a member of Epworth United Methodist Chapel and sang in the Chancel, Men’s, Comfort, and Mass Choirs. He was also a member of the Usher Board. After he retired, he worked for many years as a volunteer at Northwest Hospital. In April 2008, Donald was elected Father of the Church by the United Methodist Men of Epworth United Methodist Chapel. Donald is survived by: his current wife, Shirley; daughter, Sharron Powell and her husband, LTC Paul Powell; his twin brother, David A. Lipscomb; his sisters Marlyn L. Goins and Dr. Ruth L. Greene; a step-son, Damon D. Gerald; several brothers- and sisters-in-law, many nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of other relatives and friends. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by four sisters, Mary E. Watson, Laura A Vinters, Willa Bywaters White and Luetta L. Lipscomb; and two brothers, James R. Lipscomb, Jr. and William A. Lipscomb.

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Donald Delano Lipscomb

April 7, 1937 - July 18, 2012