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Beloved friend and family member, Don Shinn, 83, of Odessa passed away at home May 17 2019. A memorial service will be held at Asbury United Methodist Church on May 21, 2019 at 11am.
Don was born in Oklahoma City, grew up and was educated in the Oklahoma school system including the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma City University. As a boy he was active in scouts achieving Eagle Scout honors. He was always active in his church wherever he went serving in many capacities on various committees, but always being in the choir as he loved to sing and had a beautiful voice. Besides his family and singing,
Don had two other passions, cooking and baseball. He loved to cook for groups especially breakfast and smoking meats which he did quite often for church events and his family. He was an avid fan of the Texas Rangers and for many years he and Barbara held season tickets to the Ranger games traveling to Arlington whenever they could. Don came to Odessa in 1980 and immediately joined the choir at St. Luke’s UMC where he met the love of his life, choir director Barbara Ackerman whom he married in 1981 and they have had 37 wonderful years together.
Don was a people person and loved helping others. He served on the board of many local organizations including the Midland/Odessa Symphony and Chorale, the Salvation Army, Odessa College Scholarship, Friends of the Library, and Rotary International where he served as president of the Greater Odessa club and later served as District 5730 Governor in 2002/03. Don was recognized for his Rotary work in Mexico and in the district with the highest honor a Rotarian can receive, The Service Above Self award. For his work in Odessa he and his wife Barbara were recognized with a plaque on the Rotary Wall of Fame in Centennial Park. Don was also recognized for his community work with the Community Statesman award that is presented annually by the Heritage Foundation of Odessa.
Don is preceded in death by his parents B. Claude Shinn and T. Chole Moore Shinn and his first wife Lois Shinn. He is survived by his wife Barbara, his son Terry Shinn and wife Janet, daughter Tori Chandler, brother Bob Shinn, and grandsons Jason Chandler (Melanie), Travis Shinn (Bridget) and Tanner Shinn and great grandson Brysen Chandler. If you choose, in lieu of flowers that fade away, the family asks that you honor Don’s love of service to others with a donation to either Rotary International or to Asbury UMC permanent fund.