Donald Lee Dempsey

Donald Lee Dempsey, 83, of Russellville, died Monday, July 29, 2013, at Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center. He was born March 3, 1930, in Booneville, Arkansas, to Charles Oscar and Nellie May Hardin Dempsey. He and Joyce Micklewright were married in 1953 while they were students at Arkansas Tech University. They both later obtained graduate degrees from the University of Arkansas Fayetteville. Don was an All American linebacker at ATU in 1954, and coached at Mountain Home High School from 1955 to 1958 where he was inducted into the Sports Hall of Honor in 2012. He moved back to Russellville to coach at Arkansas Tech in 1959, and became the head coach from 1967-1975. He was also ATU's Athletic Director from 1974-1976, and was inducted into the ATU Hall of Distinction in 1995. Don continued at Tech as a professor until his retirement in 1996. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict in the 1950's, remaining with the Army Reserves at Camp Robinson in Little Rock until 1990, retiring as a Colonel in the reserves. Don served on the Russellville School Board and was a former member of the Russellville Country Club where he was an avid golfer, was a member of the American Legion, the Green and Gold Club at Arkansas Tech and the First United Methodist Church. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Joyce Micklewright Dempsey, and a daughter, Sheryl Houston, and several brothers and sisters. Survivors include his children, Doris Nelson of Houston, Texas, Donna Gwaltney and husband, Frank, of Russellville, and Chuck Dempsey and wife, Tracy, of Scottsdale, Arizona. Grandchildren include Brent Houston and his wife, Holly, of Chicago, Illinois, Cheyne Houston and wife, Candice of Winslow, Lindsay Kurs and husband, David, of Marina Del Rey, California, Megan Anderson of Houston, Texas, Jeff Gwaltney and wife, Lynnsey, and Kevin Gwaltney, both of Fayetteville, and Anna and Lauren Gwaltney, both of Russellville. Great-grandchildren are Sol, Aley, Ivy and Arlo Houston, all of Winslow. The funeral service will be at 10 a.m. on Friday, August 2, 2013, at First United Methodist Church, officiated by the Rev. Gail Brooks. Private burial will be in Brearley Cemetery at Dardanelle, by Shinn Funeral Service of Russellville. The family will receive friends on Thursday, from 4:30-6:30 p.m., at the funeral home. The online obituary and guestbook are available at www.shinnfuneral.com.