Donnie LaVaughn (Don) Ainsworth, age 82, of Clinton, MS; beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend; died on February 11 from complications of multiple myeloma.
Don was born in Waskom, TX on April 17, 1929 to Don O. and Annie Mangum Ainsworth as the youngest of five siblings. The family soon moved to Jackson, MS where Don spent the remainder of his childhood.
Don graduated from Jackson's Central High School in 1947, and married Lanita Joy Cotten on the 8th of September, 1950. He soon joined the U.S. Coast Guard and served as a yeoman in Long Beach, CA until 1954, at which time the couple returned to the Jackson area.
Don and Joy had their first two children, Mark and Kathy, while Don attended Mississippi College in Clinton, from which he graduated in 1958 with a degree in Physics. He was the first member of his family to graduate from college.
After a short time teaching electronics to servicemen at Keesler AFB on the MS coast, the family moved to Los Alamos, NM in 1959, where Don was employed as a Research Physicist at the U.S. Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory. A third child, April, was born to the couple in Los Alamos.
The family moved back to the Jackson area - to Clinton - in 1966 after Don accepted a job as a Physicist with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Waterways Experiment Station in Vicksburg. During this time he obtained a Masters Degree in Nuclear Engineering from Mississippi State University.
Don retired from the Corps in 1989 to fulfill a dream to work for himself. He started and ran small businesses involved in industrial instrumentation and controls, geothermal energy production, and consulting for and non-destructive testing of concrete structures. He fully retired from the business and engineering world around 2000.
Don was a loving and supportive man who put his family first, and yet always found time to help those in need. A strong Christian, he was a founding Deacon at Northside Baptist Church in Clinton. He later became an active and loyal member of Morrison Heights Baptist Church in Clinton, where he was a Deacon and taught a men's Sunday School class for many years until just before his death. He will be greatly missed by those who knew and loved him.
Don is survived by Joy Ainsworth, his wife of over 61 years; three children - Mark Ainsworth and his wife Rose Mary of Madison, AL; Kathy Ainsworth and her husband Grant Palmer of Atlanta, GA; and April Callahan and her husband Jack of New Canaan, CT; and six grandchildren - Nathan Ainsworth and his wife Keela of Atlanta, GA; Jared Weinstein of Indianapolis, IN; Lauren Ainsworth of Auburn, AL; and Ryan Callahan, Kate Callahan, and Carey Callahan of New Canaan, CT.
Funeral arrangements are being handled by Lakewood Funeral Home. Visitation is 5pm-7pm today at Lakewood and again 1pm Tuesday at Morrison Heights Baptist Church. Funeral services are 2pm Tuesday at the church with interment to follow in Lakewood Memorial Park.
Published in Clarion Ledger on February 13, 2012
Son of Donnie O. and Annie Jane Mangum Ainsworth
Don was born in Waskom, TX on April 17, 1929 to Don O. and Annie Mangum Ainsworth as the youngest of five siblings. The family soon moved to Jackson, MS where Don spent the remainder of his childhood.
Don graduated from Jackson's Central High School in 1947, and married Lanita Joy Cotten on the 8th of September, 1950. He soon joined the U.S. Coast Guard and served as a yeoman in Long Beach, CA until 1954, at which time the couple returned to the Jackson area.
Don and Joy had their first two children, Mark and Kathy, while Don attended Mississippi College in Clinton, from which he graduated in 1958 with a degree in Physics. He was the first member of his family to graduate from college.
After a short time teaching electronics to servicemen at Keesler AFB on the MS coast, the family moved to Los Alamos, NM in 1959, where Don was employed as a Research Physicist at the U.S. Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory. A third child, April, was born to the couple in Los Alamos.
The family moved back to the Jackson area - to Clinton - in 1966 after Don accepted a job as a Physicist with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Waterways Experiment Station in Vicksburg. During this time he obtained a Masters Degree in Nuclear Engineering from Mississippi State University.
Don retired from the Corps in 1989 to fulfill a dream to work for himself. He started and ran small businesses involved in industrial instrumentation and controls, geothermal energy production, and consulting for and non-destructive testing of concrete structures. He fully retired from the business and engineering world around 2000.
Don was a loving and supportive man who put his family first, and yet always found time to help those in need. A strong Christian, he was a founding Deacon at Northside Baptist Church in Clinton. He later became an active and loyal member of Morrison Heights Baptist Church in Clinton, where he was a Deacon and taught a men's Sunday School class for many years until just before his death. He will be greatly missed by those who knew and loved him.
Don is survived by Joy Ainsworth, his wife of over 61 years; three children - Mark Ainsworth and his wife Rose Mary of Madison, AL; Kathy Ainsworth and her husband Grant Palmer of Atlanta, GA; and April Callahan and her husband Jack of New Canaan, CT; and six grandchildren - Nathan Ainsworth and his wife Keela of Atlanta, GA; Jared Weinstein of Indianapolis, IN; Lauren Ainsworth of Auburn, AL; and Ryan Callahan, Kate Callahan, and Carey Callahan of New Canaan, CT.
Funeral arrangements are being handled by Lakewood Funeral Home. Visitation is 5pm-7pm today at Lakewood and again 1pm Tuesday at Morrison Heights Baptist Church. Funeral services are 2pm Tuesday at the church with interment to follow in Lakewood Memorial Park.
Published in Clarion Ledger on February 13, 2012
Son of Donnie O. and Annie Jane Mangum Ainsworth
Donnie LaVaughn (Don) Ainsworth, age 82, of Clinton, MS; beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend; died on February 11 from complications of multiple myeloma.
Don was born in Waskom, TX on April 17, 1929 to Don O. and Annie Mangum Ainsworth as the youngest of five siblings. The family soon moved to Jackson, MS where Don spent the remainder of his childhood.
Don graduated from Jackson's Central High School in 1947, and married Lanita Joy Cotten on the 8th of September, 1950. He soon joined the U.S. Coast Guard and served as a yeoman in Long Beach, CA until 1954, at which time the couple returned to the Jackson area.
Don and Joy had their first two children, Mark and Kathy, while Don attended Mississippi College in Clinton, from which he graduated in 1958 with a degree in Physics. He was the first member of his family to graduate from college.
After a short time teaching electronics to servicemen at Keesler AFB on the MS coast, the family moved to Los Alamos, NM in 1959, where Don was employed as a Research Physicist at the U.S. Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory. A third child, April, was born to the couple in Los Alamos.
The family moved back to the Jackson area - to Clinton - in 1966 after Don accepted a job as a Physicist with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Waterways Experiment Station in Vicksburg. During this time he obtained a Masters Degree in Nuclear Engineering from Mississippi State University.
Don retired from the Corps in 1989 to fulfill a dream to work for himself. He started and ran small businesses involved in industrial instrumentation and controls, geothermal energy production, and consulting for and non-destructive testing of concrete structures. He fully retired from the business and engineering world around 2000.
Don was a loving and supportive man who put his family first, and yet always found time to help those in need. A strong Christian, he was a founding Deacon at Northside Baptist Church in Clinton. He later became an active and loyal member of Morrison Heights Baptist Church in Clinton, where he was a Deacon and taught a men's Sunday School class for many years until just before his death. He will be greatly missed by those who knew and loved him.
Don is survived by Joy Ainsworth, his wife of over 61 years; three children - Mark Ainsworth and his wife Rose Mary of Madison, AL; Kathy Ainsworth and her husband Grant Palmer of Atlanta, GA; and April Callahan and her husband Jack of New Canaan, CT; and six grandchildren - Nathan Ainsworth and his wife Keela of Atlanta, GA; Jared Weinstein of Indianapolis, IN; Lauren Ainsworth of Auburn, AL; and Ryan Callahan, Kate Callahan, and Carey Callahan of New Canaan, CT.
Funeral arrangements are being handled by Lakewood Funeral Home. Visitation is 5pm-7pm today at Lakewood and again 1pm Tuesday at Morrison Heights Baptist Church. Funeral services are 2pm Tuesday at the church with interment to follow in Lakewood Memorial Park.
Published in Clarion Ledger on February 13, 2012
Son of Donnie O. and Annie Jane Mangum Ainsworth
Don was born in Waskom, TX on April 17, 1929 to Don O. and Annie Mangum Ainsworth as the youngest of five siblings. The family soon moved to Jackson, MS where Don spent the remainder of his childhood.
Don graduated from Jackson's Central High School in 1947, and married Lanita Joy Cotten on the 8th of September, 1950. He soon joined the U.S. Coast Guard and served as a yeoman in Long Beach, CA until 1954, at which time the couple returned to the Jackson area.
Don and Joy had their first two children, Mark and Kathy, while Don attended Mississippi College in Clinton, from which he graduated in 1958 with a degree in Physics. He was the first member of his family to graduate from college.
After a short time teaching electronics to servicemen at Keesler AFB on the MS coast, the family moved to Los Alamos, NM in 1959, where Don was employed as a Research Physicist at the U.S. Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory. A third child, April, was born to the couple in Los Alamos.
The family moved back to the Jackson area - to Clinton - in 1966 after Don accepted a job as a Physicist with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Waterways Experiment Station in Vicksburg. During this time he obtained a Masters Degree in Nuclear Engineering from Mississippi State University.
Don retired from the Corps in 1989 to fulfill a dream to work for himself. He started and ran small businesses involved in industrial instrumentation and controls, geothermal energy production, and consulting for and non-destructive testing of concrete structures. He fully retired from the business and engineering world around 2000.
Don was a loving and supportive man who put his family first, and yet always found time to help those in need. A strong Christian, he was a founding Deacon at Northside Baptist Church in Clinton. He later became an active and loyal member of Morrison Heights Baptist Church in Clinton, where he was a Deacon and taught a men's Sunday School class for many years until just before his death. He will be greatly missed by those who knew and loved him.
Don is survived by Joy Ainsworth, his wife of over 61 years; three children - Mark Ainsworth and his wife Rose Mary of Madison, AL; Kathy Ainsworth and her husband Grant Palmer of Atlanta, GA; and April Callahan and her husband Jack of New Canaan, CT; and six grandchildren - Nathan Ainsworth and his wife Keela of Atlanta, GA; Jared Weinstein of Indianapolis, IN; Lauren Ainsworth of Auburn, AL; and Ryan Callahan, Kate Callahan, and Carey Callahan of New Canaan, CT.
Funeral arrangements are being handled by Lakewood Funeral Home. Visitation is 5pm-7pm today at Lakewood and again 1pm Tuesday at Morrison Heights Baptist Church. Funeral services are 2pm Tuesday at the church with interment to follow in Lakewood Memorial Park.
Published in Clarion Ledger on February 13, 2012
Son of Donnie O. and Annie Jane Mangum Ainsworth
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Records on Ancestry
Advertisement
